The Need For Speed – Why High Speed Weapons are Part of Australia’s Future

Australians may have been surprised by the federal government’s announcement last year that as part of the nation’s Force Structure Plan it was committing up to $9.3bn in the development of high-speed weapons (HSWs).

Australians may have been surprised by the federal government’s announcement
last year that as part of the nation’s Force Structure Plan it was committing up to $9.3bn in the development of high-speed weapons (HSWs) and up to $23.7bn to build a capability to defend against ballistics and HSWs.

Australia’s defence industry was not surprised. In fact we have been working with the Defence Science and Technology Group
in the research and development of this technology for more than
a decade.

Almost straight out of a science fiction movie, a HSW is a missile that flies at hypersonic speeds — at least five times the speed of sound (Mach 5), but in reality much faster speeds of up to Mach 10 are the goal.

Yes, HSWs are very fast and manoeuvrable, making them hard to detect and counter. Their evolution is driven by technology, and areas such as autonomous technologies and artificial intelligence will have an important influence on their evolution. The history of battle is littered with examples where technological advances have delivered a decisive advantage on the battlefield. In some cases the outcomes of battle have defined nations.

Today, we live in a region whose defence and security environment is constantly changing. In this environment, Australia’s intent to build a military technology advantage through the development of a sovereign HSWs capability is easily understood. What is less known is Australia’s technology leadership in HSWs.

For more than 15 years Australia has been developing and testing HSW technology in collaboration with our allies, with industry and with the scientific community.

Together the work has involved prototyping, flight testing and the exploration of advanced engineering and manufacturing techniques.

Australia doesn’t have the size or industrial base to design and build all of its military capability. However, HSWs are an area where Australia has an advantage. For a start, we have a history in hypersonics, notably the University of Queensland’s hypersonics programs, which have been world-leading since the early 1980s and have enjoyed the partnership and support of BAE Systems Australia.

Second, Australia has an expertise in missile engineering, specifically in the Nulka active missile decoy and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, which are deployed by many navies around the world.

These two programs are built on partnerships between Australia and the US but, critically, our business in Australia, with the support of local industry, has played a leading role.

We also have an existing defence industry ecosystem of more than 3000 companies, many of which supply to global supply chains and operate at world-best benchmarks for technology, engineering and manufacturing.

Australia has a smart materials capability, thanks
to our universities; we have an advanced engineering and manufacturing capability to deliver complex systems; we
have wind tunnels and proving grounds; and we have a hi-tech military that has already achieved or is moving into the advanced systems required to deploy and defend against HSWs.

In Australia, national assets such as the Woomera test range are highly beneficial to the sovereign development effort. Perhaps most important, Australia has a successful track record working on complex technologies and engineering programs, and doing so in partnership with Defence prime contractors, small and medium enterprises, academic teams and the armed forces.

Today, Australia’s domestic defence industry is ready to support a HSW program. We even have a local manufacturer that uses 3D techniques and advanced metals to make hollow-sided engine casings for the scramjet — hollow to allow the cryogenic fluids to be pumped around the motor, stopping it from melting.

We can locally design and engineer the HSWs, make the guidance systems, rocket engines, actuators, communications equipment and fuselages,
and we can test them.

It is true that defence technology projects often require a market that is larger than the demand driven from Australia to fund the program. But with the serious funding and commitment from the commonwealth, the financial footings to design, test and build an Australian HSW are robust.

By committing to a sovereign HSW program, most of the expertise developed can remain an Australian asset. This allows us to develop the weapon alone or with international partners while staying ahead of our military rivals and creating a valuable local industry.

For many countries, HSWs pose a military threat. But for Australia that threat is also our national opportunity.

It’s an opportunity that is clearly economic, but the real return will be better protection for our nation.

Brad Yelland is chief technology officer of BAE Systems Australia.