Innovative technologies for protecting Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircraft against missile threats will be studied under a new research agreement announced by Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne.
The five-year partnership agreement with Chemring Australia, which was signed in Adelaide on Thursday, could lead to significantly improved aircraft countermeasures, Minister Pyne announced.
“Chemring Australia and DST Group (Defence Science and Technology Group) will explore capabilities and advanced techniques for the manufacture of high-performance countermeasures that hide aircraft from radar detection and deflect heat-seeking missiles,” Pyne said in a statement.
“The research will also examine the use of more efficient manufacturing technologies, such as resonant acoustic mixing, and novel concepts for pyrotechnic devices.”
Pyne said the agreement, announced as part of the DST Group’s Partnerships Week, would allow the development of “an advanced flare capability to provide protection against increasingly sophisticated missile systems”.
Chemring Australia, part of the UK-based Chemring Group, manufactures “energetic materials” such as countermeasure flares and military and marine pyrotechnics at its Lara, Victoria factory.
