The Land Forces 2024 Hub

The Land Forces 2024 Innovation Awards will bring together Australian companies, organisations and young individuals with cutting-edge ideas and give them a platform to present their innovation at the Land Forces 2024 International Land Defence Exposition.

Finalists are invited to pitch their innovation to an international audience of potential partners, investors and customers at Land Forces 2024 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 11 September with an exceptional judging panel recently announced. 

The panel includes:

• Brigadier James Davis AM CSC, Austrlian Army
• Glenn Halupka, Research and Development Manager, Hanwha Defence Australia
• Dr Robert Hunjet, Program Leader - Australian Defence Science and Universities Network, Defence Science and Technology Group
• Kristen Raby, General Manager Major Services Provider Governance, Nova Systems ANZ
• Geoff Thomas, Principal, Axant Advisory

The 2023 Defence Strategic Review identifies long range strike capability and the domestic production of guided weapons as a strategic priority. The 2024 Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS) further identifies the achievement of domestic Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) and Warhead (WH) manufacturing in 2026 – 2030 as a Sovereign Defence Industrial Priority. This paper will outline the approach taken by L3Harris and NIOA to achieve sustainable, horizontally integrated manufacture of all relevant SRM and WH components required to support the Australian GWEO Enterprise and augment the industrial capacity of allied nations through global supply chain integration.

• Presented by Kenneth Johnston, Missile Solutions Strategy Development Lead for the Aerojet Rocketdyne segment at L3Harris Technologies & David Kuehn, Director Strategic Campaigns at NIOA Australia & New Zealand.
  

At the heart of the modern defence force capability is the integration of land, sea, air, space, cyber and electromagnetic platforms for an effective and fast battlefield deployment. The large scale, heterogeneous nature of assets and distributed sensing and decision making makes this problem extremely challenging. Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Information, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) is often regarded as the nervous system of modern defence force as it needs to manage all sensing, communication, information sharing, command and deployment of assets to protects its own population, defence personnel and assets, while aiming to outsmart the opponent and neutralise any threats. In this talk we will look at the key challenges in themes related to C4ISR including Distributed Battle Engagement; Distributed Situational Awareness; and the Internet of Battlefield Things and consider what role Australian research providers might play in collaborating with defence industry.

• Presented by Professor Chris Manzie and Professor Dragan Nesic, The University of Melbourne

Defence operations are grappling with increasing complexity, requiring sophisticated solutions to address evolving challenges. Technological advancements offer avenues to enhance capabilities and ensure mission success. Command and Control is critical, necessitating innovative strategies to revolutionize command centers. Tailoring solutions to frontline forces and harnessing advanced technology can enhance command and control at the tactical level, boosting mission success.

• Presented by Michael Rothwell, Strategic Advisor and Ofir Rozenberg, Technology Lead, Accenture

As the Australian Defence Force aims to grow by 30% by 2040 amidst recruitment challenges, innovative solutions are needed... So, imagine an ADF that not only meets its recruitment targets but exceeds them, bolstering our collective security and economic growth.

Join as PeopleIN presents a bold, yet proven plan by Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme employer, PeopleIN CEO Ross Thompson.

Drawing on his experience as an officer with the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers (Nepalese recruits serving in the UK military), Ross and an experienced panel will outline a plan to not only boost workforce numbers but also foster stronger bilateral relationships, cultural engagement, and regional stability.

As leaders in the defence industry, our collective support will be pivotal in driving this forward. Join PeopleIN, one of the largest PALM employers, in shaping a secure, collaborative future for the Pacific and Australia.

• Presented by Ross Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, PeopleIN, Lokman Limbu, Ex Gurkha soldier & Gab Navuni, Ex Fijian soldier.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications have ushered in a transformative era in global communications, and the impact of this technology is particularly significant for Australia. This upcoming presentation will delve into the profound changes brought about by LEO satellites in the Australian and global communications landscape.

• Presented by Dr Matthew Illic, Development Manager – Defence and Strategic Projects, Vocus and Ashley Neale, Head of Space and Wireless Operations, Vocus

In 2023, the DTC CEO spoke with over 120 stakeholders, many of which identified collaboration as a key business driver. Yet, many struggle to understand what collaboration entails and how to initiate and enhance it effectively. This presentation offers practical insights and actionable strategies to bridge this gap.

• Presented by Libby Day, Chief Executive Officer, Defence Teaming Centre and Allan Ryan, Founder & Executive Director, Hargraves Institute

Counterfeit electronic components represent a significant and hidden danger, particularly within the Defence industry, where they impact everything from operational safety to national security. This presentation will highlight the prevalence of these components and the severe risks they pose in military applications. We'll address the challenges of current supply chains and stress the critical importance of tracing the origins of components to ensure rigorous quality control. Participants will gain valuable strategies for fortifying their supply chains.

• Presented by Mark Shanley, Sales & Marketing Director, Astute Electronics

To develop operationally ready forces challenging, realistic training must be undertaken by day and night, with complexity, and integrated employment of all lethality systems. Tragically however such training too often results in live fire fratricide, heat related deaths and platform losses with numerous near misses. These risks persist to this day.

This presentation outlines an evidentiary basis on why risk occurs, and how technology can structurally mitigate these risks to soldiers and platforms whilst enabling future complex, novel and emerging lethality technologies to be fielded safely and realistically, culminating in the ability to effectively deploy modular force elements on combat operations.

• Presented by Gareth Collier, Vice President - Strategy, SimCentric Technologies

This presentation explores the valuable lessons learned by Birdon, a proudly Australian-owned business with an operational footprint that now includes Australia, the United States, Europe and Asia.

• Presented by Terri Benson, CEO, Birdon Group

As global security evolves, integrating AI into military operations presents opportunities and challenges, necessitating alignment with Public International Law. This research provides a holistic analysis of AI's impact on military decision-making, highlighting the importance of ethical AI deployment in line with accountability, transparency, fairness, and human rights principles. It critically examines legal frameworks governing military AI, stressing adherence to International Humanitarian Law and related treaties. The balance between AI autonomy and human oversight in military contexts is a key focus, evaluating mechanisms to prevent unlawful actions and maintain operational accountability. This research also delves into the legal challenges of AI in cybersecurity and digital warfare. This comprehensive inquiry highlights the complex relationship between AI and military activities, exploring strategies to harmonise technological advancements with international legal standards for enhanced global security.

• Presented by Dr Immaculate Motsi, AI and Cyber Futures Institute

In the global defence arena, the effectiveness of communication systems significantly impacts operational and diplomatic success. This presentation explores the use of innovative language technology solutions, including Language AI, in enabling secure communication and data sovereignty in critical global defence settings. With increasing global threats and disasters, Language AI presents a viable opportunity to manage communication at scale and speed. We focus on the indispensable role of time-critical access to in-language information in reducing risk and enhancing disaster response efficacy and coordination between armed forces, local communities, and government officials. The utility of AI-driven language solutions extends to intelligence sharing and diplomatic negotiations across conflict zones, facilitating dialogue and action. By integrating advanced technology and AI, we highlight the importance of timely multilingual communication and solutions available that not only strengthen data security but also foster international cooperation and strategic alliances essential for global peace and security.

• Presented by Tea Dietterich, CEO, 2M Language Services

The land defence marketplace needs to understand the increasing prevalence of publicly available unmanned aerial systems (UAS) susceptible to exploit, and the subsequent need for robust countermeasures against them. Despite their transformative potential across industries, drones present significant security risks. Manufacturers recognize the potential for misuse, yet existing safeguards are susceptible to circumvention by malicious actors. Regulatory efforts are struggling to keep pace with deployment, as 1 in 10 Australians are now estimated to own a drone. Implementing counter-UAS (c-UAS) systems is paramount to safeguarding public spaces and critical infrastructure as this technology continues to proliferate. This presentation advocates for proactive adoption of c-UAS technologies to bolster security infrastructure and mitigate emerging threats. It emphasizes the importance of navigating regulatory frameworks and fostering collaboration to ensure compliance with safety standards while enhancing operational efficacy in the face of evolving UAS challenges.

• Presented by Michaela Jeffery, Systems Engineer, Nova Systems

Our keynote presentation introduces the world’s leading intelligent surveillance technologies with threat detection, and dramatic penetration testing graphics to convey the critical importance of securing Forward Operating Bases and Bare Bases. We include where Artificial Intelligence can assist the security process and where it can be used by countermeasures to defeat security deployments. This compelling information sets the stage for how Australian expertise, and R&D have developed powerful rapid deployment systems that provide early detection, classification and response of under water, over land and aerial threats and intrusion.

• Presented by Steve Brass, Managing Director, Brassets Group

Research breakthroughs in composite material selection, lightweighting and thermal management are enhancing the design of small arms systems.

• Presented by RMIT University and Thales Australia

The increasing congestion within the electromagnetic battlespace underscores the imperative for heightened speed and coordination of actions capable of engaging networked systems while minimizing inadvertent interference with friendly forces' electromagnetic emissions. An emerging asymmetric strategy to address advanced sensing, navigation, and communication systems involves leveraging a multitude of small electronic warfare (EW) systems operating collaboratively. This presentation will delve into the ERASR EW system, which harnesses a wideband configuration and is adaptable for mounting on various platforms such as vehicles, unattended ground systems, or drones to achieve asymmetrical electromagnetic effects. When paired with our stochastic control methodology, known as GuardAI, for managing the electromagnetic battlespace, this system becomes adept at countering sensor networks, integrated air and missile defense systems, as well as disrupting navigation and communication infrastructures.

• Presented by Dr Khusro Saleem, Chief Technology Officer, Australian Systems Research Pty Ltd