Queensland skies open for Aerospace Roadmap
Queensland's fast-growing aerospace sector is set to benefit from up to $5 million in State Government funding for a suite of new, forward-thinking programs.
Releasing the Queensland Aerospace 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan, Minister for State Development and Manufacturing Cameron Dick said it was now Queensland's time to secure its position as an Asia-Pacific aerospace hub.
"Queensland's aviation industry proudly stretches back almost a century, to the foundation of Qantas in Winton in 1920 during the pioneering days of powered flight," he said.
"A century later, aerospace has become a significant contributor to the state's employment and revenue base.
"In 2015-16, Queensland's aircraft manufacturing and repair businesses generated approximately $1.2 billion in revenue and contributed $565 million to Queensland's economic growth, as well as providing over 4200 jobs across more than 300 enterprises.
"This roadmap aims to accelerate the pace of growth in both the civilian and defence sectors, and help them to create the high paid, sustainable jobs of the future."
Mr Dick said the roadmap set out a range of actions across three strategies:
- develop Queensland's aerospace industry and create high-skilled jobs
- enhance Queensland's level of aerospace industry capability to access new global supply chain opportunities and international markets
- promote Queensland as a preferred destination for aerospace capability locally and globally.
The funding allocated to the roadmap will fund a suite of initiatives, including:
- establishing Queensland as an international hub for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs)
- pursuing supply chain opportunities in major international defence and civil aerospace projects, such as deep maintenance of RAAF aircraft including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, C-17 Globemaster and CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
"Queensland is already a national aerospace leader, with leading capabilities and advantages that the roadmap will help build on," Mr Dick said.
"This includes a skilled workforce known for delivering high-quality products and significant expertise in maintenance, repair and overhaul.
"We also boast world-leading expertise in emerging fields such as unmanned aerial systems and hypersonics."
Mr Dick pointed to the presence of RAAF Base Amberley - Australia's largest defence airbase - and a hub of major aerospace businesses as a strong foundation already established in Queensland.
"A recent win for our aerospace sector is the Australian Government's decision to locate the headquarters of the Defence Cooperative Research Centre for Trusted Autonomous Systems in Queensland.
"This is clear recognition of our state's expertise," he said
"The roadmap's release is timely following the Federal Government's announcement in September last year that it is setting up a national space agency, and the subsequent review of Australia's space capability.
"Given the growing interest in the space industry and the sector's potential to contribute economic value to the state, the Queensland Government has set up a space industry reference group.
"The group will identify opportunities for this emerging sector in Queensland that will see it grow further and create jobs."
The objectives of the group are to:
- guide development of Queensland's space industry
- act as a sounding board for the creation and implementation of project initiatives that fit within the remit of the Queensland Aerospace 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan
- provide expert advice on technical matters pertaining to the space industry.
The group is headed by the Queensland Government's inaugural aerospace adviser, retired Air Vice-Marshal Neil Hart AM.
Air Vice-Marshal Hart said the Queensland Aerospace 10-Year Roadmap set out ambitious but logical steps to build on Queensland's decades of aerospace excellence.
"Queensland already has a strong foundation in the aerospace sector, coupled with significant competitive advantages and a forward-thinking and innovative spirit that will take the industry to a whole new level," he said.
"We're already seeing the focus on niche areas such as unmanned aerial systems and autonomous systems being recognised, with major players such as Boeing and the Federal Government choosing to establish projects here.
"The next step in my mind is to look toward space. Queensland has geographic advantages and capabilities that make it stand out as a base for our national space endeavours," he said.