Saab partners with Micro-X on world-first ADF trauma care

Veterinary machines used for trauma imaging of Australian defence forces in challenging operational environments will be replaced with locally developed, world-first technology.

Saab Australia managing director Andy Keough with Micro-X managing director Peter Rowland with the Rover. Picture supplied

Australian Defence Forces will soon have access to a world-first, for-purpose mobile X-ray system developed specifically to meet their medical needs during challenging operations.

Defence prime Saab Australia has contracted South Australian medical imaging innovator Micro-X as its first supplier under the $377m contract it secured from the Department of Defence in September.

Micro-X will supply its Rover mobile X-ray units for Saab Australia under a $1.4m contract, signed on Thursday.

Micro-X has been working on Rover since 2015 when ADF’s Joint Health Command first identified its carbon nanotube (CNT) technology could provide the world’s first mobile x-ray unit with full hospital-grade performance and be light enough to be deployed in an Army medical facility.

An initial contract from the Department of Defence’s Innovation Hub enabled the successful development and demonstration of diagnostic quality imaging with the extended power needed for trauma imaging of combat soldiers – and consequently the Rover product.

ASX-listed small-cap company Micro-X has partnered with Fujifilm Australia, which is supplying some of the detectors and software for the Rover.

Saab Australia’s contract with Micro-X is for the delivery of five Rovers in 2023 and 2024.

Micro-X’s supply contract is one of more than 100 that will support Saab’s delivery of 550 deployable medical modules and critical support infrastructure under the Joint Project (JP) 2060 Phase 3 Deployable Health Capability program until 2027.

The project seeks to acquire three modular and scalable field hospitals – one for the RAAF and two for Army – to provide deployed trauma and other services.

Saab Australia managing director Andy Keough said the broad range of technology and infrastructure components required to deliver the full deployable health capability meant the opportunities for Australian industry and supply chains were substantial.

“Born from an innovative SME identifying a gap in the market and a partnership with the Department of Defence’s Innovation Hub to commercialise the solution, Micro-X’s Rover system is an excellent example of the opportunities for SMEs as we continue to grow our sovereign industry capability.”

Saab Australia said majority of the overall contract value will be spent leveraging expertise and products from more than 70 Australian companies.

Micro-X managing director Peter Rowland said the business was “excited to see our Rover set to enter operational service with the Australian Defence Force”.

“No other product offers such high performance in a lightweight package – the weight of most hospital-grade mobile x-ray machines make them unsuitable, so prior to the Rover only small animal veterinary x-ray machines were light enough to be deployed by the military.

“The Rover system was born in Australia with support from the Australian Defence Force and as a result, Australia’s operational capability and the health outcomes for our deployed personnel will be significantly improved.”

Micro-X has its core R&D, engineering and production facility at Tonsley in South Australia with a fully insourced CNT tube manufacturing line.

In September, it signed a $1.4m contract through the World Health Organisation to deliver Rover to governments of a number of Pacific Island nations.