Elbit workshops Human Machine Teaming with universities for L125 Ph.4
Elbit Systems of Australia (ELSA) is teaming up with Australian universities through its new Centre of Excellence in Melbourne to showcase world-leading disruptive technologies to benefit emergency services, defence and homeland security.
The Centre of Excellence, which ELSA launched in February this year in partnership with the Victorian Government, will kick off its educational collaboration series on Monday August 16.
ELSA Managing Director, Major General (ret’d) Paul McLachlan AO, CSC, said while it was the first workshop for the new Centre of Excellence in Melbourne, global parent company Elbit Systems placed great emphasis on working with universities to ensure its technology remained world leading.
“I am extremely proud that we now have the ability to partner with them right here in Australia using our sovereign research and development (R&D) centre that will grow both Victoria’s and the nation’s technology footprint,” Mr McLachlan said.
Mr McLachlan said that technology included command and control solutions based on the company’s E-CIX modular framework. This is an open architecture design providing a development environment that can accommodate third-party applications.
“The E-CIX framework also enables integration of multiple sensors, AI and data fusion capabilities that augments the user’s situational awareness and ability to respond quickly and effectively. These are characteristics that are really important to emergency services, homeland security and defence agencies,” Mr McLachlan said.
“Our collaboration and pursuit of excellence does not stop with the Victorian Government and Australian universities however, as we want to support and champion the development of a Human Machine Teaming ecosystem within Victoria by engaging with multiple SMEs and research institutions to enable the growth of Human Machine Teaming technologies and Australian jobs.”
ELSA’s Centre of Excellence Program Manager R&D Damian Fratric said the aim of collaborations was to enable universities to present research projects and technologies.
“The aim of the workshop series is to discuss emerging technologies and the possibility of developing research projects that could be utilised to improve decision making and situational awareness for Human Machine Teaming applications for emergency services, homeland security and defence,” Mr Fratric said.
“We look forward to working with the educational and research institutions and SMEs that have reached out since the opening of our new sovereign R&D hub.”
Much of this research is focussed on Defence’s project LAND 125 Ph.4, for which ELSA has been shortlisted.
This project aims to modernise the ADF’s Soldier Combat System (SCS). The Commonwealth is seeking an industry partner for the supply and support of an ISS capability that would enable continuous growth of the current and future SCS.
The shortlisting demonstrates ELSA’s commitment to continue working with defence on the provision of capability that would increase the effectiveness of Australian soldiers, according to Mr McLachlan said.
ELSA has the ability to deliver the project using an agile design and development approach aimed at supporting incremental evolution of the Soldier Combat System for the duration of the tranche, which would include in-house research and development, Mr McLachlan said.
Research on collaboration between people and autonomous systems conducted by ELSA under this project will produce applications that can not only be used across defence, but could also benefit homeland security and emergency services, he added.
“ELSA has a 250-strong workforce across three locations in Australia that includes more than 100 software and systems engineers.”
Australian industry is invited to contact Elbit Australia to explore collaboration opportunities via the dedicated Elbit ICN page or at: ElbitAustralia.L125-4ISS@ElbitSystems.com.au