Australian DoD expands hypersonic-technology partnerships

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) is expanding partnerships with local industry and academia in support of efforts to develop hypersonic weapons capability and a related collaborative project with the United States, the department has told Janes .

A spokesperson for the DoD in Canberra said that it has entered partnerships with three Australian universities to develop technologies related to hypersonic weapons and is increasing related links with domestic companies, both prime contractors and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The aim of these alliances is to build on work the DoD has undertaken over the past decade on hypersonic technologies in consultation with local academia and industry, said the DoD spokesperson. “The government will invest in a range of more advanced strike options, with greater range and sophistication but is yet to determine all long-range strike capabilities that will be acquired,” said the spokesperson.

“[The DoD] has strong linkages with a number of US DoD organisations and increasingly with Australian industry primes and SMEs,” the spokesperson added. “[The DoD has also] entered into a long-term partnership with the University of Queensland, as well as agreements with the University of Southern Queensland and University of New South Wales in relation to hypersonic technologies.”

The spokesperson said that the DoD’s research with the University of Queensland includes various aspects related to hypersonic technologies including engine propulsion, rocket flight testing, advanced instrumentation for aerodynamic measurements, and computational fluid dynamics.

“This work,” said the spokesperson, “could inform [the DoD’s] decisions on the development, testing, and evaluation for high-speed, long-range strike and missile defence, including hypersonic weapons.”