Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist Roger Lough announced Oct. 18 that eight proposals have been selected under the latest funding round for the Defence Capability and Technology Demonstrator (CTD) Program.
The CTD Program, managed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), enables Defence and industry to collaboratively explore emerging technology developments and assess their potential to enhance Australian Defence Force capability and the likely technical risks associated with acquisition of the technology.
“More than $160 million has been committed to the Capability and Technology Demonstrator Program over the past nine years, Lough said at the annual Capability and Technology Program Dinner in Canberra.
The program now has 35 active demonstrator projects.
“DSTO is working with companies including Tenix, BAE Systems, Thales, L-3 Nautronix and Tectonica as well as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation to develop new technologies that could result in major savings for Defence, spin-offs for civilian applications and export opportunities.
The new technologies to be demonstrated under the program could potentially provide new ways to protect Australian troops and the equipment in which they operate. Proposals range from new wearable body armor to land vehicle small arms protection and soldier-powered battery packs, underwater threat surveillance to aircraft health monitoring systems