Page 11 - AVALON 2023 - Day 2 | DAILY NEWS

BLACK SKY AEROSPACE SUBSEA CRAFT

LAUNCHES TRAINING MISSILE SEALS R&D

PARTNERSHIP IN

AUSTRALIA

© Black Sky Aerospace On 24 February, Subsea Craft announced
it had entered its first international
research and development partnership,
the recipient being AMC Search. The
former is a British maritime technology
company, while AMC Search is the training
and consultancy division of the Australian
Maritime College, itself an institute of the
University of Tasmania.

The two partners will collaborate on key
strands of R&D in the maritime space,
as well as exchange scientific mate-
rials in areas of mutual interest. They
Black Sky Aerospace (BSA), an Australian Blake Nikolic, CEO of Black Sky, said: ‘As said, ‘Principal areas of partnership will
rocket company, has successfully launched the first firing, this was about testing the include autonomous systems, training
and evaluations.’
a prototype long-range missile from its system, the launch and the design of the
3-million-acre site in the outback of south- missile, and we were able to gather valuable The agreement runs for two years, and
western Queensland. The TM229 Cyclone data for future launches. The hardware, will see exchanges of visiting research
training missile measures 3.7m long, and launch pod, avionics, propellant, rocket scholars and employees to the AMCS
it has a diameter of 229mm. motor and nozzle were all manufactured Autonomous Maritime Systems
in Australia, by Australians. This is a great Laboratory in Tasmania. The partnership
advancement for sovereign missile devel- also lays the groundwork for ‘a more com-
BSA launched the missile from a cus- opment, with huge export opportunities.’ prehensive future agreement’.
tom-made weapon pod mounted on the
back of an ex-army Unimog truck. The Nikolic added: ‘As we wait for announce- Scott Verney, Chief Executive of Subsea
missile and launcher are both Australian- ments about Australia’s future sovereign Craft, said: ‘We’re delighted to have
designed, and it only took six months from Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance signed this partnership with AMCS, who
concept to actual launch. (GWEO) enterprise, it’s important that are renowned across Australia and the
home-grown businesses don’t stay idle. wider maritime industry .... [The part-
It is described as a training missile, since BSA is developing, refining and perfecting nership] will see us work together on
it simulates the experience of firing more its capabilities to respond to government developing solutions for future naval and
maritime technology/engineering chal-
expensive and sophisticated missiles. Such announcements on GWEO so there are lenges – something that rests at the core
missiles permit operators to gain live-fire local options available to produce these of Subsea’s mission.’
qualifications at a considerably lower cost. vital defence capabilities.’

EMBRAER MAKES ITS PRESENCE FELT AT AVALON

Brazilian aerospace giant Embraer has currently in production. It can carry five
a strong presence at Avalon Airshow occupants for a range of 2,010nm.
2023, with its line-up parked on the
tarmac including the E195-E2 TechLion The Phenom 300 operates in 36 coun-
commercial aircraft, and Phenom tries, and the fleet has reached nearly
100EV and Phenom 300E business jets. 1.8 million flight hours.

Indeed, this is the Avalon debut Francisco Gomes Neto, CEO of Embraer,
enthused, ‘Australia is home to
for the E195-E2, described as the Embraer’s diverse range of busi-
world’s most efficient single-aisle ness jets and commercial aircraft
aircraft. It can accommodate up to Furthermore, the Phenom and, thanks to our customers and
146 passengers. Last July, Embraer and 300 was recently announced as the partners, our aircraft are synonymous
Pratt & Whitney successfully tested an world’s bestselling light jet for the elev- with performance, innovation and
E195-E2 on 100% sustainable aviation enth consecutive year. The new Phenom reliability.’ Already, more than eleven
fuel, which can reduce emissions by up 300E is faster, its top speed of Mach Embraer business jets and 40 E-Jets
to 85%. 0.8 making it the fastest single-pilot jet fly in Australia.

AVALON 2023 MARCH-01-2023 | 11