Dassault Systèmes to establish regional centre in Australia
Defence
French 3D software company Dassault Systèmes has announced it will open an office in Adelaide, South Australia to position itself to work closely on Australia’s major defence projects.
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The new centre will be based at the University of Adelaide and will create an Adelaide-based team comprising staff from France and India as well as University of Adelaide interns.
Masaki Sox Konno, Dassault Systèmes’ Managing Director for Asia Pacific South, said Dassault Systèmes wants to play a critical role in providing solutions for defence and other industries as South Australia prepares for major defence contracts, including the Future Frigates and Future Submarines programs.
“Dassault Systèmes and the university share many joint interests, such as in STEM education, defence, Smart Cities, mining, energy and agriculture,” Konno said.
Last year, the University of Adelaide and Dassault Systèmes signed an agreement to implement a specialised industry-focused curriculum for engineering students.
The company’s latest announcement comes as part of its continued investment in the South Australian capital, including an agreement struck last year with South Australian firm LogiCamms to map digital capability in large manufacturing projects across the state.
Dassault Systèmes has worked in the defence sector for more than 30 years and is known for its real-world tools and software, such as the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and Virtual Shipyard Training Program.
South Australia has secured tens of billions of dollars of defence contracts to build Australia’s next generation of submarines and frigates, cementing the state as a global centre of excellence for the defence sector.
The national defence projects have lured industry-leading companies including global aerospace company Boeing, which opened its Australian head office in Adelaide last year, BAE Systems, and SAAB.
Australia’s largest shipbuilding hub, Techport, is located in South Australia and hosts the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance, which is building three next-generation destroyers for the Australian Navy.
Techport is also responsible for the sustainment program for the Collins-class submarine fleet and is expected to be where 12 Shortfin Barracuda submarines will be built by French shipbuilder DCNS for the Royal Australian Navy.
Dassault Systèmes’ work in virtual 3D modelling of cities internationally also has scope for Adelaide’s transition into a smart city, which has been named Australia’s first ‘lighthouse city’ in its collaboration with information technology company Cisco.
University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Rathjen said the growing partnership with Dassault Systèmes means the university’s engineering students will have further opportunities to develop industry-ready skills, enabling them to serve the defence sector in South Australia.
“This signals a new era of industry engagement for our university, helping to prepare our graduates for the transformation of the South Australian economy,” Professor Rathjen said.
The Dassault Systèmes office is expected to open at the University of Adelaide later this year.
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