Babcock Australasia (Babcock) today announced it will partner with Shoal Group, Buzzworks and Bond University to deliver the Land 125 Phase 4 (Land 125-4) Integrated Soldier System Program, alongside its plans to establish a Future Australian Soldier System Technology Centre (FASST-C).
Speaking at the Land Forces Conference in Brisbane, Australia, Babcock’s Head of Customer Solutions (Defence & Security) Craig Schwartz said that Babcock and its local partners were bringing together Defence, Industry and Commonwealth stakeholders in an inclusive model to deliver future capability for the Australian soldier.
“A key tenet of our approach includes engaging with adjacent programs to understand their needs and requirements – working collaboratively to manage integration risk and unlock opportunities. “The net result is what we call “best for soldier’. This provides a better outcome for the country than project decisions made in isolation.”
Babcock chose Shoal Group, Buzzworks and Bond University’s Tactical Research Unit as its core team, based on their proven credentials in collaboration, domain knowledge, and commitment to deliver programmatic outcomes for the Army:
- Shoal Group has been a proven partner to the Commonwealth and industry for more than twenty years and offers deep experience in Digital Engineering applied to a broad range of complex, technology intensive projects across multiple industries. Shoal will provide systems engineering and verification and validation services for the program, centred on providing sophisticated digital capability models to the FASST-C to ensure that operational needs are identified and met.
- Buzzworks, a veteran owned and operated Australian SME, provides subject matter expertise and integration support in next-generation soldier combat systems and related technology.
- Bond University’s Tactical Research Unit will provide specialist capability regarding human factors and biomechanical studies on current, in-development and future soldier system capability.
Babcock will establish the FASST-C to support new and disruptive technologies that enhance the lethality, range and survivability of the Australian soldier.
The new facility will be complemented by a Technical Support Network of organisations that bring the specific domain knowledge needed for the integration of soldier systems with adjacent defence capability.
It will be equipped with a range of capabilities tailored to the unique requirements of the Land 125-4 program. This will include a Digital Engineering Environment, and bespoke physical development, integration, and testing environment that will bring together soldiers and systems in ways not previously seen in Australia.
“Public-facing zones will host and support visiting suppliers to support, incubate and grow local industry to meet the needs of the Commonwealth, and be internationally competitive.”
Babcock remains committed to being vendor-independent and backing its local supply chain to deliver best of breed’ solutions that deliver capability, availability and affordability.
“Our approach to Land 125-4 centres on an operating model that attracts innovation, rewards collaboration and avoids creating risk of commercial and intellectual property friction,” said Schwartz.
