Defence Materials Technology Centre

Defence Materials Technology Centre will be based in Victoria and will open sometime in 2008.

A recent article notes how: "it already comes with a promise of $82 million in funding from the Labor Government...

"The Centre will focus on four key research programs; air platforms, maritime platforms; armour applications and propulsion systems.

"Warren Snowdon, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel said that a number of significant outcomes would be delivered through the Centre.

""The Centre will deliver improved high-tech materials for use in major Defence acquisitions such as the Joint Strike Fighter," he said. "The goal of this program will be to produce engineers and scientists with skills attractive to the Defence industry and other research providers."...

"The Centre will primarily be located in Victoria and will receive Australian Government funding of $30 million and a further $52 million from its collaborative partners.

"These partners include major companies such as BAE Systems Australia, GKN Aerospace, BlueScope Steel, Surface Technology Coatings, Thales Australia and the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures."

"The new centre will be run from nodes in Victoria and Queensland, with the Queensland node based at the UQ.

"Other university participants include the University of Wollongong in NSW and Swinburne University of Technology, the University of Melbourne and RMIT University in Melbourne, along with the Defence Science Technology Organisation and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation."