The tech partnership marks a new beginning for South Australian sovereign defence manufacturing. Photo: Fenton Roma.
Two South Australian companies have joined forces to develop, produce and test anti-drone technology to enhance Australian air and missile defence systems.
Defence companies Praetorian Aeronautics and Zero Dawn have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the development of this defence capability.
Praetorian Aeronautics founder and CEO Brett Hill and Zero Dawn CEO John Giffard signed the document together, with the state’s Minister for Defence and Space Industries Chris Picton witnessing.
The agreement details the companies’ intention to integrate Zero Dawn’s munitions with Praetorian’s counter unmanned aircraft system (CUAS), Arrow, which is designed to identify and intercept unmanned combat systems.
“Counter-autonomy is becoming one of the defining defence and industrial challenges globally, and we believe Australia should be building sovereign technology in this field, not simply importing it,” Mr Hill said.
“Our partnership with Zero Dawn is another step in turning that technology base into a complete Australian industrial capability.”
Under the MoU, the firms will also work together to progress testing, certification, production and market development.
The partnership agreement followed a test exercise, in which the two firms successfully conducted a ground-based blast test. A witness to the test was Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko. Praetorian and Zero Dawn intend to export the technology to Ukraine in 2027.
The technology, fully designed and built in South Australia, is advancing the state’s role in supporting the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise, a national scheme backing sovereign manufacturing while bolstering air defence capabilities. GWEO is a national priority for the Department of Defence.
Praetorian was established in 2024 and currently employs 50 people, attracting $15 million in capital to build up its technological capability. The firm has the potential to create up to 60 new jobs as manufacturing expands in Adelaide.
Zero Dawn is 100 per cent owned by Australians and veterans, developing sovereign capability in modular warhead design, manufacturing and testing.
“Zero Dawn has developed modular warhead and fusing technologies designed to support modern autonomous systems, and working with Praetorian provides a clear pathway to integrate those technologies into a broader system architecture and show a clear, concise pathway to market,” Mr Giffard said.
Zero Dawn expects to expand its R&I activities, creating at least 15 new technical positions in regional South Australia from 2027.
The partnership strengthens the state’s ability to create opportunities for domestic suppliers across production, testing and continued operation, building a more resilient supply chain and boosting South Australia’s defence industry.
Mr Picton said: “It’s great to see these South Australian companies join forces to develop local innovation, manufacturing and export opportunities.
“They are creating highly skilled jobs, strengthening Australia’s sovereign industrial capability and building globally relevant defence technology right here in South Australia.”
