South Australian defence companies build new connections in Asia-Pacific

15 Mar 2023
A group of leading South Australian defence companies will make their mark at Japan’s only large-scale, fully integrated defence event, paving the way for future trade opportunities across the Asia-Pacific.
  
DSEI Japan will feature six SA companies presenting their cutting-edge technologies to global defence industry executives and investors, with ambitions to export new products and services to key markets throughout the region.
  
The event brings the global defence and security sector together with the Japanese defence community to innovate, partner and share knowledge.
  
More than 10,000 delegates are expected to attend the three-day event, which hosts over 200 exhibitors from all over the world and provides unprecedented access into the Japanese and wider Asia-Pacific defence markets.
  
It follows Japan’s bold new national security strategy which aims to double its national defence budget to around 1.1 per cent of GDP, or the equivalent of AUS$55 billion within the next five years – and investment that would place it ninth for global defence spending.
  
South Australian defence industries’ discourse with their Japanese defence counterparts follows continued engagement in recent years between Australia and Japan, which last year saw the signature of the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation in which both nations committed to closer defence and security cooperation.
  
Minister for Trade and Investment Nick Champion met the South Australian delegation attending DSEI Japan and will support the companies involved as part of his trade mission to the country this week.
 
The SA contingent comprises small to medium enterprises and will be part of an Australian defence industry delegation led by Major General David Coghlan and Air-Vice Marshal Gavin Turnbull.
  
Local companies participating include: 

  • Acacia Systems, a leading Australian defence software and systems engineering company, engaged primarily in developing advanced mission management systems and tactical support applications. 
  • Micro-X LTD, an award-winning X-ray technology company, pioneering a global revolution in medical and security imaging products. 
  • Rowlands Metalworks, one of South Australia’s finest manufacturers of sheet metal products. 
  • Tekuma Pty Ltd, developer of a force-based, six-degrees of freedom control orb module for drones, robots and other devices. 
  • Inovor Technologies, provider of turnkey spacecraft mission delivery services, and specialist electronic warfare engineering services. 
  • BMT Defence and Security Australia, a leading international design, engineering, science, and risk management consultancy with a reputation for excellence.It’s hoped the support provided to this event will continue to fuel South Australia’s defence industry, which currently represents more than six per cent of the State’s total exports and is worth $2 billion.
  
DSEI Japan comes days after South Australia and the State’s defence capabilities received global attention following announcement of the AUKUS Agreement in San Diego – the biggest single investment in Australia's defence capability which is set to deliver an estimated $2 billion investment over the forward estimates to SA while creating thousands of local jobs and showcasing our advanced manufacturing and defence industries.