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Australia to debut prototype infantry rifle, sniper rifle at Special Operations Forces Week

By: Robert Dougherty – Defence Contact

Team Defence Australia will showcase a new prototype infantry rifle and domestically produced bolt action sniper rifle at the upcoming 2024 Special Operations Forces Week in America.

NSW small arms manufacturer Southern Cross Small Arms (SCSA), a Team Defence Australia member, will present the prototype short stroke gas semi/automatic infantry rifle and bolt action sniper rifle at the 15,000-attendee annual conference in Tampa, Florida, from 6 to 9 May.

The international special operations forces community event, sponsored by the United States Special Operations Command and the Global SOF Foundation, is expected to draw around 15,000 attendees.

SCSA operations manager Daniel Sherwood, speaking with Defence Connect, said domestic manufacturers understand the critical importance of sovereign capability for Australia’s defence needs.

“At Special Operations Forces Week in Tampa, Florida, under Team Defence Australia, we will showcase our defence capabilities, including a prototype short stroke gas semi/automatic infantry rifle featuring patented technology and a patented bolt action sniper rifle,” he said.

“As a company, we actively pursue opportunities in defence sectors, prioritising initiatives that align with our core competencies and values.

“While specific projects remain confidential, we are open to collaborations emphasising innovation, security, and bolstering international stability within the defence sector.

“Each project undergoes stringent evaluation to ensure it upholds ethical standards and responsible business practices.”

The NSW manufacturer has previously shown their pump-action Taipan-X rifle for consideration to the American commercial market at the 46th SHOT Show held in Las Vegas during January this year.

“The Taipan X received remarkable reception at SHOT Show 2024, with individuals from various sectors praising its ergonomic design and features,” according to Sherwood.

“It’s compliance with regulations across all 50 states and its straight pull/pump action combination ensured widespread comfort and accessibility for most users when handling the rifle.

“Sharing similarities with other rifles allows users to leverage their familiarity with the interface and tailor their rifles to meet their specific requirements.

“The construction of the Taipan X differs from commonly available options in America. This was done to ensure compliance in most states and territories nationally.

“Although Americans have access to a wide range of firearm options, they have lacked a 50-state legal straight pull/pump action combination. The Taipan X platform offers extensive accessory compatibility, enabling users to customise it according to their preferences and requirements.”

Sherwood said the high quality and innovative design of domestically manufactured defence and commercial products provides opportunities for Australian companies to export into American and other international markets.

“We see great potential for exporting our products to international markets. We are committed to quality and innovation, which positions us well for global expansion,” he said.

“We continually assess market demands and seek strategic partnerships to enter new territories.

“By maintaining high standards and meeting diverse customer needs, we aim to grow sustainably and strengthen our presence worldwide. We are actively pursuing opportunities to enter the Canadian and European markets this year.”

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I smell a Rat in the Ranks

I smell a Rat in the Ranks

The new Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson has been called out over false valour. Claimed he had military service in a Signals Regiment in WA. And worked with the SASR in communications.

Had it on his social media site, prior to his election as the new Mayor for Townsville.

Has been called out, to provide evidence of his service. And has since deleted his social media site reference to his so called military service.

Now get this.

He can’t remember his service number, and has submitted a request to Defence, to obtain it.

Even my old Man could rattle off his Airforce service number, back in the 1980s from 1944.  When I asked him if he still remembered it.

Greg

1202822

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The One Percenters 

The One Percenters. Your perspective on this piece may change based on your actual age……

99% of people born between 1930 and 1946 (GLOBALLY) are now deceased…

If you were born in this time span, your ages range between 77 and 93 years old (a 16-year-age span) and you are one of the rare surviving one-percenters.

You are the smallest group of children born since the early 1900s.

You are the last generation, climbing out of the depression, who can remember the winds of war and the impact of a world at war that rattled the structure of our daily lives for years.

You are the last to remember ration books for everything from tea to sugar to shoes. You saved tin foil and poured fried meat fat into cans.

You can remember milk being delivered to your house early in the morning and placed in the “milk box” at the front door. Discipline was enforced by parents and teachers.

You are the last generation who spent childhood without television and instead, you “imagined” what you heard on the radio. With no TV, you spent your childhood “playing outside”. There was no city playground for kids. The lack of television in your early years meant that you had little real understanding of what the world was like. We got “black-and-white” TV in the late 50s that had 3 stations and no remote.

Telephones (if you had one) were one to a house and hung on the wall in the kitchen (who cares about privacy). Computers were called calculators; they were hand-cranked. Typewriters were driven by pounding fingers, throwing the carriage, and changing the ribbon. INTERNET and GOOGLE were words that did not exist.

Newspapers and magazines were written for adults and your dad would give you the comic pages after he read the news. The news was broadcast on your radio in the evening. The radio network gradually expanded from 3 stations to thousands.

New highways would bring jobs and mobility. Most highways were 2 lanes and there were no Motorways. You went downtown to shop. You walked to school.

Your parents were suddenly free from the confines of the depression and the war, and they threw themselves into working hard to make a living for their families.

You weren’t neglected, but you weren’t today’s all-consuming family focus. They were glad you played by yourselves. They were busy discovering the postwar world. You entered a world of overflowing plenty and opportunity; a world where you were welcomed, enjoyed yourselves. You felt secure in your future, although the depression and poverty were deeply remembered.

Polio was still a crippler. Everyone knew someone who had it.

You are the last generation to experience an interlude when there were no threats to our country. World War 2 was over and the cold war, terrorism, global warming, and perpetual economic insecurity had yet to haunt life. Only your generation can remember a time after WW2 when our world was secure and full of bright promise and plenty. You grew up at the best possible time, a time when the world was getting better.

More than 99% of you are retired now, and you should feel privileged to have “lived in the best of times!” If you have already reached the age of 77-years-old, you have outlived 99% of all the other people on this planet. You are a 1% ‘er!

 

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AU$139.5 Million Contract to Upgrade RAAF’s P-8A Poseidon Fleet

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has unveiled a significant AU$139.5 million contract with Boeing Defence Australia aimed at enhancing the software, systems, and sensors of the Royal Australian Air Force’s P-8A Poseidon fleet. The contract, part of the Increment 3 Block 2 upgrades, will fortify the fleet’s anti-submarine warfare, maritime strike, and intelligence collection capabilities.

The initiative will generate 50 Australian jobs, encompassing six Certificate IV aircraft maintenance engineering apprentices, 38 Certificate II aerospace workers, and several supply chain trainees at the RAAF Base Edinburgh. The upgrade process will commence with Australia’s initial two aircraft undergoing modification in Jacksonville, Florida, with the remaining 12 to be completed by Boeing Defence Australia at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia.

Minister Conroy hailed the announcement as a boost to employment, highlighting the creation of 50 new positions and the reinforcement of the existing 283-strong Boeing Defence Australia workforce at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Naomi Smith, Boeing Defence Australia’s director of sustainment operations, emphasized the augmentation of the current workforce, which currently provides maintenance services for the P-8A Poseidon fleet.

Boeing Defence Australia will actively recruit and train apprentices and supply chain trainees, facilitating upskilling and offering long-term employment opportunities in a vital industry. Minister Conroy stressed the significance of investing in the P-8A Poseidon fleet’s upgrade, citing its contribution to job creation and ensuring the Defence Force’s readiness to safeguard Australians.

The upgrades are anticipated to involve over 300,000 hours of maintenance work over four years, with each aircraft requiring approximately 7.5 months for completion. New employees will undergo formal training with South Australia’s Flight One Academy, coupled with on-the-job training, to prepare for their roles starting in September 2026.

Additionally, the contract includes provisions for extending beyond its current 2030 end date to accommodate the delivery of two new P-8As to the RAAF in 2024 and 2025.

 

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