Australian companies increasingly look to US following AUKUS pact (defensenews.com). Andreas did mention being close to two contracts on laser in the Webinar- hopefully Andreas has a different definition of close than previous management.
Another Australian company is taking a similar approach in the U.S., seeking to expand the technology development work it is doing in Australia in the U.S. and with U.S. partners.
EOS Defence Systems opted to establish a production footprint in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2018 “in response to an ever-increasing U.S. military requirement for [remote weapon station] systems,” according to a company announcement at the time.
The company is perhaps best known for its common remote weapons stations and previously supplied some to the U.S. military in the 1980s. It lost the latest contract to Norwegian company Kongsberg, according to EOS chief executive Andreas Schwer, but the company has three other business sectors it hopes to grow in the U.S.
EOS has been working on lower kilowatt directed energy solutions that could be considered for integration on smaller systems like armored vehicles. He said the company is close to signing two contracts for lasers with international customers and then plans to migrate that technology to the U.S.
EOS also has developed over the last 20 years a ground-based laser that can blind satellites. The company is now developing capability to also disable satellites’ sensors and ultimately the satellite itself. “We see huge export potential,” he said.
AUKUS is allowing conversations and collaboration that would have been very difficult beforehand and giving the company the ability to participate in classified programs, Schwer said.
“AUKUS will make our life easier in terms of exchange of product data or product information, software codes, but also even the hardware to push back and forth, demonstrators, prototypes and stuff like that,” Schwer said. “We have more commercial reason to do more in the U.S.”
Like Nioa Group, EOS already has some partnerships with U.S. companies like Northrop Grumman, but the company is also looking for acquisition opportunities and partnerships, Schwer said.
“We are ready to bring laser technology to the U.S. or our satellite terminals, maybe even under another brand name,” he suggested. “We are currently checking all opportunities before we undertake a formal decision.”
(20min delay)