Australia Announces Laser Research Partnership With Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
The Australian and Japanese governments announced on Friday that Australia’s defense ministry has contracted Mitsubishi Electric Australia to “develop and transition a cutting-edge laser capability”.
No details on the intended applications of the laser technology were provided beyond Australian Defence’s statement that a finished product would “enhance surveillance and survivability of defence platforms”.
The laser technology is being developed by Defence’s Science and Technology Group, with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation’s Australian subsidiary brought on as a partner for development of capabilities and prototypes using the technology in question. According to Canberra, the agreement will also create opportunities for Mitsubishi Electric Australia to “access (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) defence technologies of interest to the Australian Defence Force”.
Japan’s defense ministry said the deal was the first time any Japanese contractor had been selected as a partner for defense-related technologies by a foreign government, adding in a statement that it would continue to work with Japanese defense contractors to pursue export opportunities for Japanese military equipment.
The agreement was announced following the Japan-Australia Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Tokyo earlier in the week. During the meeting, Richard Marles, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister celebrated the first of its kind collaboration with Japanese Minister of Defense, Kihara Minoru.
In the Australian Defence press release announcing the partnership, Chief Defence Scientist Professor Tanya Monro said:
“This collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Australia will enable cutting-edge laser technology developed by Australian defence scientists to be transformed into new technologies that protect our Australian Defence Force personnel.
This will not only lift Australia’s capability, but deepen our science and technology collaboration with Japan.
Maintaining a technological edge relies on Australia committing to working with partners on defence science and technology.”
The press release concluded saying that Australia looks forward to collaborating with Mitsubishi Electric Australia to deliver new capabilities. The announcement of the partnership also follows the news that Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency conducted its first-ever test firing of an electromagnetic railgun from a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship at sea.