Australia Boost to the Development of Hypersonic Weapons Capability

26 January 2022

Advanced rocket motor technology for Hypersonic missile (photo : Thales)

World class hypersonics precinct to supercharge Australian defence research

The Morrison Government’s commitment to innovation and national security is at the forefront following the official opening of Defence’s state-of-the-art, purpose built Australian Hypersonics Research Precinct at Eagle Farm in Brisbane.

The Minister for Defence the Hon Peter Dutton MP today unveiled the $14 million Precinct which provides a location for Defence, industry, universities and international partners to advance our understanding and use of hypersonic technology through flight test vehicles.

“It’s a complex technological challenge to build vehicles capable of flying at five times the speed of sound, that skim the stratosphere, to target any location on the planet,” Minister Dutton said.

“The technology that is developed here will help us to better defend against the malign use of this technology and give us the ability to strike any potential adversaries from a distance and deter aggression against Australia’s national interests.”

“It enables Defence researchers to develop and characterise sovereign hypersonic technologies and generate ‘true’ hypersonic flight conditions at large scale in a classified laboratory.”

This Precinct represents just one element of the Morrison Government’s $3 billion dollar capability investment across Defence innovation, science and technology over the next decade.

The centre accommodates over 60 staff and provides collaborative space for industry, academia and government teams to advance defence projects with a focus on high-speed and hypersonic flight research and technologies.

(Aus DoD)