MEDIA RELEASE
SENATOR THE HON ROBERT HILL
Minister for Defence
Leader of the Government in the Senate
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Thursday, 25 March 2004
60/2004
CONGRATULATIONS TO AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPER
Defence Minister Robert Hill today congratulated one of the developers of the Nulka
active missile decoy hovering rocket vehicle on winning the prestigious Australian
Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering (ATSE) Clunies Ross Award.
The award was presented to Malcolm Crozier, from BAE Systems Australia, at a
ceremony in Melbourne last night. It recognises the application of science and
technology for the economic, social or environmental benefit of Australia.
Mr Crozier’s involvement with Nulka began early in the design phase through his
involvement with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation as an employee
of the Government Aircraft Factory. He has continued the development of that
design over a period of 20 years culminating in the system we have in operation
today.
“I warmly congratulate Mr Crozier on his achievement,” Senator Hill said.
“This award highlights an excellent example of the innovative use of advanced
technology for the benefit of Australia and our allies. It is particularly pleasing to
see an Australian invention at the heart of a modern sophisticated defence system
designed to save our ships and the lives of our sailors.”
Nulka is a highly effective decoy system that defends warships against anti-ship
missiles. The system was developed collaboratively in Australia and the United
States.
The Nulka system is being fitted progressively to Australian, US and Canadian Navy
warships.
The Nulka decoy itself is a rocket powered flight vehicle that flies a low, almost flat,
trajectory in a vertical orientation, laterally away from the ship. The Australian
designed control system for the “translating, hovering” flight vehicle has been
likened to balancing a snooker cue on the end of a finger. The Nulka decoy seduces
hostile anti-ship missiles away from the host ship using a high power jamming
signal as an Electronic Countermeasure.
BAE Systems and ADI Ltd manufacture most components for the flight vehicle in
Australia, with the rocket motor assembly now manufactured in the US. Sippican
Inc. of the US is the sole manufacturer of the payload. Final assembly of all Nulka
systems occurs in Australia.
So far, the Nulka system has been installed in all six Royal Australian Navy
Adelaide class frigates and six of the eight ANZAC class ships. Installation on the
final two ANZACs (TOOWOOMBA and PERTH) is scheduled for 2004 and 2005
respectively. The system has been nominated for installation in the RAN’s new Air
Warfare Destroyers which are due to enter service in 2013.
Media contacts
Catherine Fitzpatrick
Defence Media Liaison
(Senator Hill)
02 6277 7800
02 6265 3343
www.defence.gov.au
0405 351 245
0408 498 664