Minister for defence Industry, Christopher Pyne, has unveiled a $730 million next-generation technologies funding program to boost defence capability and innovation.

The Australian government is fast-tracking investments in next-generation defence technologies under a $730 million funding program that was unveiled by the minister for defence industry, Christopher Pyne.

The Commonwealth’s “Next Generation Technologies Fund” incorporates a ten-year research and development program. This initiative was designed to deliver “game-changing capabilities” for the Australian Defence Force (ADF), according to minister Pyne.

The program would kick off with a $16.8 million investment by June 2017. The funding program would draw on the collective scientific expertise of industry and university sectors.

Among the roll-outs, this funding would help establish Defence Cooperative Research Centres, university research networks, a Defence research accelerator scheme, and an innovation research initiative for small business.

“These are only a few of several new initiatives to be developed,” noted minister Pyne.“There are a range of opportunities for universities and companies to contribute innovative technology solutions to defeat future threats, many of which are not even on the radar today.”

Defence’s Science and Technology Group would lead the research program, while focusing and focus on nine transformational technology areas. These would incorporate cyber security, quantum technologies, integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and advanced sensors, among other platforms.