An ACT company producing the world's most advanced and protective military helmets and armour is sending all its products overseas because of ponderously slow and complex Australian Defence Force procurement processes.
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X-Tek, a publicly listed Australian company based in Canberra and manufacturing in Adelaide, was recently awarded an $875,000 federal grant under the Global Competitiveness and Sovereign Industrial Capability priority program, which will double its local capacity.
But its internationally patented and world-leading life-saving technology isn't protecting heads of Australian soldiers and instead is finding a much more receptive market in Europe and the US.
Scott Basham, the chief executive of X-Tek, based in Symonston, struggled to find the diplomacy to shroud his frustration at seeing Ukrainian soldiers wearing his helmets and armour, while the Australian troops training them were lesser equipped.
He believes the "not invented here" syndrome is pervasive in the Australian military, and X-Tek - a small yet clever local supplier - is one of several innovative manufacturers hamstrung by lumbering, convoluted Defence processes.
And yet when these slow processes are politically circumvented - such as when the federal government fast-tracked 90 Australian-made and designed Bushmaster armoured personnel carriers across to the Ukraine to support that country's war against the invading Russian army - the results were hugely positive.
"For its size, Australia has an amazing capability to design and produce incredibly clever and innovative products," Mr Basham said.
"Making armour and helmets is just one of our capabilities but it's a very important one for us and without a shadow of a doubt, what we build here is a world-leading product.
"We had 30,000 sets of our latest armour delivered across to the Ukraine in 113 days.
"But here at home, getting a foot in the door of Australian military procurement is a really tough game; it's a really big challenge for small- to medium-sized companies like ours to promote Australian intellectual property and capabilities to our military.
"We get the fact that the military have to be thorough, they have to make sure the product is right, and they are getting value for money. But other markets also have the same rigorous standards."
X-Tek's manufacturing process is unique in that it uses 300 bar (more than 300 atmospheres) of isostatic pressure, combined with heat, inside a "hydroclave" to compress Kevlar and carbon-fibre type into shaped ballistics material that can withstand AK-47 rifle bullets; not just pistol bullets like conventional armour.
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And it's around two-thirds lighter than rival products.
The sizeable grant from the Commonwealth government will allow the company to develop a new virtual machining centre and double its manufacturing capability, Mr Basham said.
"Being awarded that grant was a fantastic boost for us. But as an Aussie company, naturally we would love to see our tech used here, by our soldiers," he said.
