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$2.7 million awarded to Uni for defence research

Tuesday, 18 December 2007

The ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide has won a total of $2.7 million from the State Government to help fund critical defence research projects for South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥.

In the latest round of the announced this week, the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ will collaborate with , the (DSTO), and the in key scientific research.

The majority of the funds - $1.5 million - have been awarded to Professors and to develop high-powered fibre lasers for use in critical defence applications. The two researchers, from the , will play a leading role in producing third-generation lasers to assist SA's defence industry.

"The immediate applications for these lasers include jamming of heat-seeking missiles homing in on airplanes and the further development of novel lasers for defence against advanced threats," Professor Munch says.

"This work will also provide significant research opportunities for advanced students in laser physics and engineering and generate more high tech jobs in the SA defence industry."

Scientists and engineers from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥, DSTO and Tenix will collaborate on the project to strengthen the SA Defence Photonics Cluster and the national focus on defence.

The State Government has also awarded $900,000 to a project led by the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s Professor to develop new communication technologies for the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n defence industry.

Professor Rumsewicz, the Director of the (CDCIN), will work with the at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ to build a South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Networking Laboratory (SANLAB).

"This laboratory will provide experimentation facilities and research expertise to develop , an emerging communication technology that holds great promise for the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n defence forces," Professor Rumsewicz says.

Dr and Dr from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s will also benefit from a $307,372 State Government grant to develop smart sensors which can identify the contents of a package and monitor its environment.

This grant will enable the researchers to collaborate with an industry partner, Collotype, in developing advanced manufacturing technology.

The ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide has supplemented the Premier's Science and Research Funds with an additional $977,000 to support these three projects.

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