Media Release

DPAO 181/99 Friday, June 25, 1999

LAND - ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP SEEKS INDUSTRY PARTICIPATION

The Land Environmental Working Group, formed as a sub-group of Defence's Capability Development Advisory Forum (CDAF), is seeking registrations of interest from industry.

The new sub-group, called the Land EWG, is planning its first meeting early in August and organisers hope a variety of industry representatives will participate.

The Land EWG is to provide early industry consultation on capability development matters. The first meeting is to set the foundation of where the environment is headed and establish a relationship with industry participants who are interested in contributing to the development of the future for the Land Forces.

It is a sub initiative of the CDAF launched last year by the Defence and Industry Strategic Policy Statement. Its purpose is to provide a means for industry to express its views early in the capability development process and to enable Defence to test the strength of its capability proposals in the private sector.

The Land EWG meeting is scheduled for August 5 in the Canberra area. The morning session, co-chaired by the Director-General of Land Development, Brigadier Jim Wallace, and Tenix Defence Systems' Land Systems and Support Business Development Manager, Mr. Don McDonough, will provide an overview of the EWG process and where the Land future is headed.

In the afternoon the conference will divide into sub-groups according to industry specialisations. Officers from Defence's Land Development Branch of the Capability Development Division will chair these sessions.

The sub-working groups are:

  • Mobility Systems – projects that provide mobility of equipment and personnel. (not distribution of supplies);
  • Electro/Optic/Sensors – projects dealing with information transfer from sensors;
  • Automation/Simulation – projects dealing with Combat Training Centre (CTC), computer simulation development and modelling;
  • Weapons and Heavy Armament – projects dealing with major combat systems and smaller weapons systems;
  • Counter Mobility – projects dealing with counter mine technology, area denial tactics; and
  • Logistics – projects dealing with medical, maintenance, distribution (bulk liquid and stores) and base support operations.
The primary focus of these working groups is to develop a partnership with industry that will assist Defence with the future development of the Land Combat Force of the Army After Next. This is not looking at the near term projects, but at the alternate futures and determining where industry can influence what that future will look like.

Defence is looking for companies that are interested in this forward looking process and gaining an opportunity to determining where their organisation should head in the future to be better positioned to support Defence requirements. It is hoped that this process will also provide opportunities to identify projects for collaborative export development.

At this time we are seeking intent to register from industry. We will determine if we have to limit attendance depending on our initial response. Replies can be submitted to Lieutenant Colonel Brent Edmister, BRIG Wallace's point of contact, at:

Australian Defence Headquarters
Russell Offices
R1-3-A078
Canberra, ACT

Phone: (02) 6265-2085. Fax: (02) 6265-7015

E-mail: Brent.Edmister@cbr.defence.gov.au

Further information:
LTCOL Brent Edmister (for Brigadier Jim Wallace, Chair) (02) 62652085
Mr Don McDonough (TENIX), Co-Chair (02) 62734299

Issued by the Defence Public Affairs Organisation, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT, 2600

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