Capability and Technology Demonstrator Program

Round 11 (FY 2007/08)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

Corrosion Prognostic Health Management System for Aircraft

A system drawn from DSTO research that can be fitted to aircraft for automatically monitoring a range of factors relevant to the health and maintenance of airframes. The system would be able to provide a continuous assessment of airframe health and the actions required to maintain its integrity. In the longer term, it would seek to replace the present method of aircraft inspections which are costly and result in significant aircraft downtime.

Carbon Nanotubes for Ballistic Protection

Antiballistic materials based on innovative carbon tube technology. Carbon nanotubes can be visualised as graphite sheets rolled into tubes only nanometres in diameter. Various properties of the material will be explored during the demonstrator, including the material's ability to provide protection against a range of ballistic threats.  If successful, it could become a key component in the next generation of flexible body armour for soldiers, offering greater comfort, being lighter than present equipment.

Increased Situational Awareness for Land Vehicles

A thermal detection sensor system for military vehicles to provide warning of attack by small arms, as well as an ability to localise the position of the threat and the trajectories of the projectiles.  This information can then be passed to other vehicles and assets to enhance the defensive stance and/or threat neutralisation.

Flexible Integrated Energy Device

New battery technologies. New technology would be used to develop and build a wearable rechargeable battery system. This would be coupled to a device that could turn a soldier's movement into electrical power which could be used to recharge the battery. The battery would able to power a range of soldier equipment such as radios, computers and night-vision devices. If successful, the technology might reduce the number and range of batteries a soldier must carry and the cost of their provision.

Autonomous Underwater Surveillance Sensor Network

A re-usable underwater surveillance system based on a series of sonars that can link themselves into an array to provide surveillance of an area of ocean. Unlike existing systems, the sonar units would not require connecting links or highly accurate placement. The array could provide surveillance of an area of water and covertly communicate the types of activities it detects. At the end of the task the array could be recovered for use on other operations.

Spherion Broadband Sonar Processing

Enhancements to the sonar system fitted to ANZAC Class frigates. It would demonstrate the additional capability and performance that could be obtained from the sonar through enhancements to the signal processing system. These enhancements would improve the frigate’s ability to detect and counter underwater threats.

Millimetre Wave Digital Receiver

The development and demonstration of a digital receiver incorporating advanced photonic components recently researched and developed in DSTO and under another CTD. The receiver will incorporate an open architecture and operate in the millimetre wave range to address a number of emerging threats in the maritime environment. This type of system promises to greatly enhance the survivability of ADF maritime units.

Ceramic Membrane Oxygen Generator

Under this CTD, the contractor would demonstrate a novel mechanism for the production of oxygen from ambient air. Ceramic membrane technology from recent developmental work at CSIRO will be integrated with various Tectonica subsystems to create a deployable source of in-situ oxygen. This system could potentially reduce or eliminate the need to deploy cumbersome and dangerous pressurised oxygen cylinders.

Round 10 (FY 2006/07)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

SCRANNEL

This CTD would demonstrate an enhanced missile detection system that could provide ships under attack with additional warning time and thus increase their chances of surviving an attack. If successful the system could be fitted to existing and new ships.

Directed Infrared Countermeasures

This technology is aimed at improving the ADF's ability to protect its

aircraft from attack by shoulder launched, heat-seeking missiles. This CTD proposal would develop, build and demonstrate a test system based on high-powered laser and fibre-optic technologies.

Integrated Electronic Warfare System

This CTD proposal would develop and demonstrate a system that would fuse electronic surveillance data and video information in near-real time to detect and track moving objects; provide size and geo-location information to support targeting; and enhance detection probabilities.

Haptically Operated Counter-explosive Platform

The CTD would demonstrate how a radio-controlled robot working on an explosive device is able to provide a remote operator with tactile feedback during its manipulations of the device. This would increase the probability that bombs can be made safe without injury to people and damage to property.

Removable Armour for Land Vehicles

This CTD proposal would demonstrate removable armour that could be applied to the outside of lightly armoured vehicles without requiring any permanent modifications. This would provide increased protection for the crews.

RASSPUTIN Sonobuoys

This CTD aims to demonstrate how using a directionally sensitive receiver could increase the detection range of current RAN and RAAF sonobuoys against submarines.

Segmented Rubber Track

This CTD proposes to design and manufacture a track system which uses rubber segments instead of discrete steel links. The system has the potential to deliver improved operational performance with reduced maintenance and support costs.

Personnel Location Device

This CTD would demonstrate a position reporting systems for troops and a monitoring system that could inject this information into the ADF networked reporting system. This system could reduce the chances of friendly forces engaging each other in battle.

Automated Personnel Tracking

This CTD aims to demonstrate how smart card and radio-frequency identification technologies could be applied to monitoring and controlling personnel in constrained environments such as amphibious ships and headquarters.

Airborne Bathymetry

This proposal is based on a mining exploration technology and would demonstrate the technology for charting water depths and seafloor characteristics down to 100m. It would allow more accurate and complete coverage of shallow water areas than present ship-based methods.

Smart Power Pack

This proposal will demonstrate a smart management power pack for soldiers. It would reduce the load carried by soldiers by replacing a diverse range of batteries with one lighter all-purpose power source.

Machine Translation and Terminology Manager System

This proposal will demonstrate a computer-based system that could assist Defence personnel translate languages, and an application that could provide a database of specialised words and phrases used any language. This system could be used to support intelligence work and overseas deployments.

Sentient Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Vision

This CTD will demonstrate a high-definition, real-time vision system for UAV that acquire and track small moving targets on the ground. No current system can do this effectively.

Demountable Combat Armour

This proposal aims to demonstrate a portable armoured shelter to better protect personnel from small arms fire while manning temporary check points and gun positions from small arms fire.

Round 9 (FY 2005/06)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

SEA 1657 Cuttlefish

Adversary surveillance aircraft can typically use their advanced imaging radars to detect, identify and track surface ships and coordinate attacks.   This CTD aims to demonstrate a significantly enhanced ability to defeat such surveillance.  The CTD is directed at protecting the lightly armed and very large amphibious transport ships and fleet supply ships.

LAND 151 Blast Resistant Protection

This proposal would demonstrate a fibre reinforced plastic, bullet and blast resistant material that could be used in place of steel as armour and for protection of vehicle flooring.  The material should provide greater protection for the same installed weight.  

SEA 1658 Diver’s Sonar

This proposal would demonstrate the integration of an advanced sonar with the new ADF diver’s combat system to allow a diver to automatically map an area, detect and classify mines and communicate this information back to the supporting ship

AIR 5437 Helicopter Landing Aid

This CTD would demonstrate a sensor system that would fuse sensor, processing and display technologies to provide a landing aid for pilots of helicopters operating in limited visibility situations.  This capability would increase the safety of helicopter operations.  

JP 2106 Geospatial Information to the Field

This proposal would demonstrate a system based on commercially available technology to allow deployed forces access through hand held devices to a wide range of geospatial information relevant to their mission.   At present there are significant limitations on the extent to which geospatial information can be communicated to and from forces in the field (eg. Special Forces on a mission in an urban area).  

SEA 1659 Fibre Laser Sensors

Current towed acoustic arrays are very long, bulky, heavy and difficult to handle.  They pose a hazard to ships and submarines because they can tangle in propellers and control surfaces.  This CTD seeks to demonstrate a lightweight, compact towed array based on fibre optic cable and small lasers.  The technology could simplify towed array ship fits and operations, and increase the range of ships that could operate towed arrays.  

JP 2108 Integrated Data Services

Variable Message Format (VMF) is a new type of tactical data link to be used where Link 16 or Link 22 are not available.  This CTD proposal would deliver a VMF test-bed capability and provide a migration plan for the replacement of legacy link systems presently used by the ADF.  VMF would offer greater reliability, more capacity and a lower through-life cost than older tactical data links.  VMF will be an important element in improving the ADF network centric warfare capability.

JP 2107 Geospatial Software Agents

This proposal would demonstrate the use of intelligent software agents and commercially available search engines to help users find and access the geospatial information they are seeking.  Major project JP 2064 aims to provide ADF users with web-based access to geospatial information, this CTD would potentially enhance operational capability through the use of software agents. 

JP 2109 Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Video Processing

This proposal would demonstrate an advanced ISR Video Processing and Geo-registration System.   The new system would significantly enhance the ADF’s target detection and tracking capability utilising existing video surveillance sensors and be applicable to future systems.

LAND 152 Flexible Solar Panels

This proposal would demonstrate flexible solar panels based on Australian Solar Cell technology applied to a flexible substrate to provide energy in the field.   Flexible solar panels hold promise for application to clothing, tentage, vehicle shelters etc to power cooling, communications, and sensors

SEA 1660 Navy Tactical Trunk

This proposal would demonstrate a very high bandwidth, continuous, ultra-high frequency (UHF) line-of-sight communication link to support littoral operations (ship to shore).  This would provide force elements without satellite communications, with greater bandwidth, and allow the simultaneous exchange of information via voice, data and video links.  

SEA 1661 Transforming Naval Combat Systems

This proposal would demonstrate the ability for common interfaces and links to allow the combat systems of the ADF’s major surface combatant ships and submarines to work more effectively together and for the ships to fight as a unit.

Round 8 (FY 2004/05)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

AIR 5434 Bioseeker

This CTD proposes the development of an autonomous guidance system, based on insect vision. It assists with navigation and detection of moving targets.  The system could provide a solution to the difficult problem of how to track and strike at small moving targets. It could be applied to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and current and future weapons. 

AIR 5436 JANDU

This CTD aims to design and build a high speed, medium range, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, using a very small turbo fan engine. It will have a much higher capacity for carrying payloads, up to 50 kg compared to conventional UAVs.

LAND 149 Lightweight Ballistic Armour

This CTD will develop improved lightweight body armour and helmets, to provide Australian troops with improved protection against ballistic threats such as bullets and shrapnel.

JP 2105 Quantitative Phased Imaging

This is an advanced form of imaging, developed from microscopy applications, to assist the ADF in the field.    The technology promises superior ability to see through fog, smoke and sandstorms, as well as into some camouflage.

AIR 5435 FURI

This CTD proposes the development and evaluation of advanced technologies for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, including electronic warfare and stealth communications. It will enable groups of UAVs to work together and improve situational awareness of the battlefield.

LAND 150 Perimeter Surveillance Equipment

This CTD will demonstrate to the ADF advanced modular sensors, networked together to provide surveillance of important battlefield perimeters.   These unattended sensors will include multiple methods of detection  (including detection by sound or movement) and will utilise advanced low power communications

Round 7 (FY 2003/04)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

JP 2103 Aerosonde Radio Relay

This CTD seeks to develop a communications relay using a low-cost, high-endurance UAV.  This could allow the range of tactical data systems, such as Battlefield Command Support System (BCSS) to be extended, especially in difficult terrain.

SEA 1701 Tactical Command and Control Framework

This CTD seeks to provide an interface between an existing proprietary tactical command and support system and new sensors and data sources.  The pluggable command and control system uses an ‘open architecture’ interface that could allow any number of third party vendors to trial and/or deploy advanced capabilities on the existing combat support system.

AIR 5501 Airborne Magnetic Gradiometer

Submarines can be detected by their local magnetic effects.  In recent decades, this has become more difficult as submarines have been able to lower their magnetic signatures.  This CTD will use gradiometers based on SQUID technology to develop very sensitive gradiometers that will greatly increase the range at which de-magnetised submarines can be detected. 

LAND 147 Personal Power Generation

This CTD seeks to develop a 25-Watt, personal-power generator for the individual soldier to reduce the use of batteries in systems such as radios, night vision devices, laptop computers etc. The system consists of a small diesel generator with sound and fume reduction.

LAND 148 Acoustic Threat Localisation

This CTD will seek to develop and evaluate a man-portable, acoustic-detection system. The system needs wearable acoustic detectors and computers, signal processing software and communications. The system will provide range and azimuth information against small arms fire.

JP 2101 Decentralised Data Fusion

This CTD seeks to demonstrate in the field and on a simulator, the benefits of linking sensors into a distributed network. Each node of the network passes its information to other nodes that then integrate their data into a total sensor picture before passing the information onto the next node.  In this way, low-bandwidth communications can be used to create a robust network of nodes that build an integrated surveillance picture of the area of operations.

JP 2104 Combat Data Network

This CTD seeks to develop a tactical data network between maritime assets using low-bandwidth communications systems.  This will allow the sharing of mission critical sensor information between platforms. 

Round 6 (FY 2002/03)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

SEA 1656 Network Enabled Undersea Warfare

The CTD aims to integrate data from different sensors on-board a ship to produce a common tactical undersea warfare picture.  The system will improve processing capabilities for detection, classification, localisation and targeting. If successful, this CTD will have applications across the ADF fleet.

JP 2094 Multi-Band Satellite Antenna

This CTD plans to demonstrate a satellite communications antenna/terminal capable of simultaneous operations in X and Ka bands. This capability will overcome limited space for antenna installations on RAN ships. The project will lead the world in delivering a timely capability enhancement to the ADF. If successful, it could have significant export potential.

DEF 222

Classified

JP 2093 Personal Radar Warning Receiver

This CTD will demonstrate a credit card sized device capable of detecting battlefield/group surveillance radars (GSRs). This capability is a very high priority for our Australian Special Forces.  The development of this technology will consolidate Australian leadership in niche areas such as Radio Frequency micro-technologies and could lead to export opportunities.

AIR 5433 Infra-Red suppression for C-130H aircraft

This CTD will deliver a prototype passive infra-red (IR) suppression system for the C-130H Hercules aircraft, based around a redesigned engine exhaust.  Regional IR anti-aircraft missile systems are becoming increasingly difficult to counter using conventional countermeasures. If successful, this CTD will substantially increase aircraft survivability in a reasonably cost effective manner.

Round 5 (FY 2001/02)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

AIR 5425 Joint Direct Attack Munition - Extended Range

Demonstrate significant range extension for a Joint Direct Attack Munition guided bomb

JP 2081 Digital Radio Frequency Surveillance System

Demonstrate advanced digital radio frequency surveillance

JP 2082 Travelling Wave Tube Replacement

Demonstrate a solid state replacement for the travelling wave tube

JP 2083 Multi Mode Modem

Demonstrate a software controlled satellite modem

LAND 143 Advanced Individual Combat Weapon

Demonstrate novel technologies for soldier individual combat weapons

Round 4 (FY 2000/01)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

AIR 5423 Range And Scan Time of Arrival System

Demonstrate highly accurate estimation of the time of arrival of electromagnetic pulses

JP 2057

Classified

LAND 133 Rapid Route and Area Mine Neutralisation System

Demonstrate an advanced landmine detection system

Round 3 (FY 1999/00)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

AIR 5419 SIDEARM (Phase 2)

Demonstrate advanced photonic techniques

JP 2073 High Frequency Surface Wave Radar

Demonstrate the surveillance capability of a high frequency surface wave radar

LAND 138 Unattended Biological Warfare Agents Detector

Demonstrate continuous monitoring for biological warfare agents

SEA 1447 Seabed Array

Demonstrate the advanced acoustic surveillance capability of underwater arrays

DEF 20 TRIGONACCS

Classified

Round 2 (FY 1998/99)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

SEA 1440 Non-Cooperative Target Recognition

Demonstrate classification of maritime radar targets

SEA1441 Bi-Static Barra Sonobuoy

Demonstrate advanced underwater target detection.

Round 1 (FY 1997/98)

CTD Project Name

Demonstrator Description

AIR 5407 Acoustic Aircraft Detection System

Demonstrate acoustic detection and classification of aircraft

JP 2061 Experimental Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence Technology Environment

Demonstrate a future Command Support System architecture

SEA 1435 Low Probability of Intercept Sonar

Demonstrate communication with, and detection of, advanced acoustic waveforms

SEA 1436 Advanced Mine Warfare Sonar

Demonstrate advanced sea-mine detection techniques