BERESFIELD specialist engineering business Armor Composite Engineering (ACE) has signed a $3.2 million contract with a Defence Department "innovation hub" to provide curved protective body armour made in the Hunter against international competition.
The contract was announced by Defence Minister Melissa Price and the government's patron senator for the Hunter, Hollie Hughes.
ACE founder Adam Fairburn said the contract to provide the high-tech protection to be used in field trials grew out of a $600,000 development contract in 2017.
Mr Fairburn said it was very hard for a small Australian manufacturer to compete against global giants but this contract allowed ACE to prove its technology with the Australian Defence Force, leading to overseas contracts.
Mr Fairburn said ACE moved to the Hunter six years ago from Sydney and as well as Defence had customers in the mining, security and automotive sectors.
It worked on strong, lightweight materials to moulded and manufactured into various armoured and protective products, including body armour of the sort being made for the Defence contract.
He said ACE had developed its own patented and trademarked technologies that allowed it to build lighter and better fitting body armour that minimised the chances of "shock" injury that could otherwise result when a wearer was shot at.
Defence Minister Melissa Price made similar comments when she announced the contract, saying ACE had a "proud history" of working with Defence.
"This high-quality material has the potential to greatly improve the safety of the wearer by reducing the likelihood of injury from ill-fitting body armour," Ms Price said.
"I'm delighted to see the Defence Innovation Hub continuing to provide Australian businesses with opportunities that could enhance Defence capability."
Patron Senator for the Hunter Hollie Hughes said she was pleased that the contract had been awarded to a respected Hunter company.
"It's wonderful to know that local ingenuity will support the development of high quality armour that will help keep both our male and female soldiers comfortable and safe," Senator Hughes said.
Senator Hughes said she was pleased that materials to build the equipment would be locally sourced.
"It's more good news for the Hunter economy as it recovers from COVID-19," Senator Hughes said.
The federal government describes the Defence Innovation Hub as an outlet for academia, research organisations and Australian businesses of all sizes to lodge proposals of use to the defence force.
"It accepts proposals that are ready to enter different stages of the innovation process, from concept exploration, to technology development, to prototyping, to demonstration and evaluation," the government said in a statement accompanying the ACE contract announcement.
It said the ACE contract would help the company develop its curved body armour, which would be suitable for both male and female soldiers.
IT said the Innovation Hub had signed more than $270 million in Innovation Hub contracts t since December 2016.
Almost 85 per cent of the money had been spent with small to medium sized Australian businesses.
More details about the hub are at www.innovationhub.defence.gov.au.
hile you're with us, did you know the Newcastle Herald offers breaking news alerts, daily email newsletters and more? Keep up to date with all the local news - sign up here
NSW Premier admits 'close personal relationship' at ICAC
'I held my daughter in my arms for the last time'
