On Friday, 18 July 2025, UNSW Kensington came alive with energy and purpose as StudentXConnect welcomed over 90 students, academics, and defence industry professionals for a half-day event focused on building the future workforce of Australia’s defence sector.
The ACE Training Centre, part of Toll Group Government and Defence, and UNSW are developing an advanced mixed reality helmet-based training system, funded by the Defence’s Trailblazer’s Accelerating Sovereign Industrial Capabilities (ASIC) program.
Defence Trailblazer is pleased to announce that QuantX Labs has signed a new research project agreement with the University of Adelaide to mature their existing quantum sensing and timekeeping technologies. The $13.8 million project will advance existing designs from prototypes to deployable systems.
Ocius Technology and UNSW Canberra are partnering on a project to increase the rapid scaling of production of Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs). Supported by funding from Defence Trailblazer, the project is developing an integrated production and maintenance facility and an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered logistics support framework.
Praxis Labs (Praxis) and members of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at the University of Adelaide are developing a new generation of camouflage photovoltaic solar modules, with funding from Defence Trailblazer. The project will demonstrate the first prototype of a ‘Camouflaged Tactical Solar’ module to support the energy resilience of Defence systems.
The Defence Trailblazer has wrapped up another Publishing for Industry & Impact masterclass in Adelaide, bringing together academic and industry professionals for a dynamic session focused on bridging the gap between research and real-world application. Led by a panel of expert speakers, the session explored key topics including publishing sensitive and classified information, navigating IP, and understanding industry expectations. Attendees gained practical insights into non-traditional publishing pathways and how to negotiate publishing rights in collaborative research settings
SRC Aus has formed a strategic partnership with Defence Trailblazer to accelerate the commercialisation of electronic warfare capability through a Defence Trailblazer R&D project, the Trailblazer Electronic Warfare Support System (TESS), with a focus on the development of a future defence-ready workforce.
Dr Oleksandra Molloy’s multidisciplinary research draws on her expertise in human factors, safety, advanced air mobility, uncrewed systems, and artificial intelligence (AI).
“I firmly believe that research-driven insights, when integrated effectively with technology and training frameworks, can significantly enhance the preparedness and adaptability of Defence personnel,” says Dr Molloy.