Defence wins Top Gold Award for Excellence in Public Sector Management
Defence has been presented with the Top Gold Award for Industry at the 2013 Prime Minister Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management.
The award was presented to the Australian Airborne Counter Measurement Team (AACT) for designing and developing a world class Countermeasure Development and Validation (CMD&V) initiative, at a ceremony held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
In congratulating the team on their achievement, the former Defence Materiel Organisation’s (DMO) General Manager of Joint Systems and Air, Shireane McKinnie, said the CMD&V program initiative has made vast improvements to Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircraft.
“CMD&V improves the ability for ADF aircraft to survive in foreign theatres of operation where they may be attacked by weapons such as missiles,” Ms McKinnie said.
"These improvements represent a massive advance in the survivability of Australian aircraft and the protection of our personnel".
“This year all thirteen Defence combat and combat support aircraft types have been fitted with airborne self-protection countermeasures that guard against major missile threats."
“Prior to the establishment of CMD&V, only three aircraft types in the ADF had self-protection measures fitted.”
The CMD&V project also won the award in the innovation category.
Chief Defence Scientist Dr Alex Zelinsky said these awards demonstrate that team work within Defence and partnering with industry is the best way to achieve innovative solutions for Defence capability.
The success of the AACT initiative is underpinned by strong collaborative programs within Defence and highlights the work of six Defence groups working together with Defence Industry to establish an enduring and sustainable airborne self protection capability for the ADF’s combat and combat support aircraft.
The AACT spans across Air Force, Navy Aviation, Army Aviation, Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO).
AACT also works in association with the 5-nation Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and maintains strong bilateral collaboration with the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
