Hanwha signed three new local defence industry partnerships and renewed its collaboration agreement with Deakin University last week at the Land Forces 2024 conference in Melbourne.
The industry agreements were signed with Gold Coast-based orbital rocket manufacturer and launch site operator Gilmour Space, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft developer AMSL Aero, and innovative positioning technology company Advanced Navigation.
On the first day of the conference last Wednesday, Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Advanced Navigation to co-develop inertial navigation systems that would enable accurate positioning of autonomous, airborne and crewed systems without satellites.
The co-developed solutions will be integrated into Hanwha Aerospace’s global technologies supply chain. Advanced Navigation is one of four companies that can manufacture digital fibre-optic gyroscope technologies globally.
Gilmour Space Technologies signed its MoU with HDA and Hanwha Aerospace on Thursday. The companies agreed to “develop a sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship whilst aiding the advancement of the broader strategic interests for Australia and Korea within the Space domain,” according to the South Korean conglomerate.
Meanwhile, AMSL Aero signed a strategic partnership with HDA to develop and sustain an Australian Industrial Capability program for the NSW-based company.
This includes working towards the use of the Hanwha Armoured vehicle Centre of Excellence at Avalon Airport in Geelong for high-rate production of uncrewed aerial systems and electric VTOL aircraft.
This collaboration also focuses on enhancing local manufacturing capability of the two parties and their respective supply chains, integrating technology and manufacturing processes through research and development, and ensuring compliance and certification with military and civil standards.
HDA also updated its memorandum of understanding with Deakin University on Friday, the last day of the conference.
HDA’s acting managing director Dean Michie said in a statement that the agreement builds on “a previous MoU signed in 2021, expanding the agreement Deakin and HDA have identified areas of shared interests and expertise with a focus on people and R&D”.
“The aim is to create a vibrant sovereign R&D community through research services to support defence, AI and machine learning, autonomy and robotics, materials science, advanced manufacturing, sustainable energy and other key areas of interest,” Mr Michie said.
Alongside commitments to workforce development, international supply chain development and operational innovation and sustainability, the two partners aim to deliver “greater benefit for the communities” in Greater Geelong and Changwon, a city along the Southern coast of South Korea that is home to a Hanwha Aerospace factory.
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