The Albanese government has opened the door to expanding the remit of Defence’s Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator to other national security agencies less than a year after it was created.
In the first biennial National Defence Strategy released on Wednesday, the government said it may consider broadening the accelerator, moving it closer to the United States’ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) model.
“As the system and process matures, consideration may be given to broaden ASCA’s remit to support other national security agencies and domestic partners to deliver whole-of-government innovation outcomes,” the strategy said.
Ahead of the 2022 federal election, Labor had planned to create an Advanced Strategic Research Agency modelled on DARPA to support research from other government agencies like the national science agency.
Part of DARPA’s remit is to support other US government agencies. It works with “academic, corporate and governmental partners” to deliver breakthrough technologies for national security.
Successful projects since DARPA was established in 1958 include military and civilian dual-use technologies, such as the computer mouse, GPS, and the internet.
ASCA launched in July as a Defence entity despite the Defence Strategic Review’s view it should sit as an “unencumbered entity” outside the portfolio.
Defence Industry minister Pat Conroy previously told InnovationAus.com that ASCA was chosen to leverage existing Defence resources to get it “up and running as quickly as possible”.
The current remit is to “rapidly translate disruptive new technologies into defence capability in close partnership with Australian industry and research organisations”, helping to speed up access to minimum viable capabilities that can be put into service, according to the strategy.
This is undertaken across three pillars: missions, the innovation incubation program, and the emerging and disruptive technologies program focused on long-term research partnerships in new technologies.
It is already supporting the local co-development of priority technologies listed under AUKUS Pillar II.
Up to an extra $400 million than previously announced will be invested in the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) over the next decade, according to the 2024 edition of the Integrated Investment Program.
ASCA will have access to between $3.6 billion and $3.8 billion over the next decade, although only $3.1 billion of total planned investment has been approved so far.
Following the release of the strategy, Defence on Thursday announced that the Ghost Shark extra-large underwater autonomous vehicle, being co-developed with Anduril Australia, would be moved under ASCA as Mission Zero.
The $140 million Ghost Shark program was awarded to Anduril Australia, a subsidiary of its US namesake, in May 2022. But with the first prototype ready, the project will now be brought under ASCA.
Anduril is building extra-large unmanned underwater drones that will provide “stealthy, long-range autonomous undersea warfare capability that can conduct persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike”.
While 10 companies are partnered with Anduril Australia for the manufacture of the Ghost Shark, the federal government claims that 42 Australian companies will benefit in the supply chain.
The Royal Australian Navy will also “explore the potential for synergies between Navy’s XL-AUV program and future trilateral collaboration through AUKUS Advanced Capabilities”, according to the government.
“By transitioning Ghost Shark to ASCA, a clear statement is being made about Defence’s commitment to the program,” Mr Conroy added.
“ASCA is focussed on speeding up the transition of innovation into capability that will give our Australian Defence Force an edge, while creating more jobs for Australians commercialising the technology.”
With Justin Hendry
