Leading Defence Contractors Set Up Base at Newcastle Airport

Industry leaders Daronmont Technologies and PLEXSYS Australia bring with them a wealth of experience in supporting Defence. Their location directly adjacent to RAAF Base Williamtown and Australia’s premier aerospace precinct, Astra Aerolab, puts them in an ideal location to support local projects on the ground and take advantage of the growing economic activity in the area.

Newcastle Airport CEO Dr Peter Cock said the addition of Daronmont Technologies and PLEXSYS Australia to the airport precinct makes strategic sense, and further capitalises on the emerging aerospace and Defence industry around RAAF Base Williamtown and Newcastle Airport.

“Williamtown is fast fulfilling its potential as a world-class aerospace, Defence and innovation hub. The Special Activation Precinct (SAP) in Williamtown is taking shape, and Astra Aerolab is progressing following the submission of two Development Applications for commercial office and industrial buildings. Next year we will start to see buildings coming out of the ground once approvals are in place,” said Dr Cock.

“Collaboration is key for Daronmont Technologies and PLEXYS Australia, and their base at Newcastle Airport will open up significant opportunities for growth of business in the Hunter region, aligning with our purpose of being the airport the region deserves.”

A wholly Australian owned Defence SME, Daronmont Technologies specialises in design, engineering, integration and support of complex high technology systems within the Defence and security sectors. With approximately 100 staff based across the country in Newcastle, Adelaide, Darwin, and Melbourne, Daronmont Technologies has been delivering for Defence since 1998.

Locally, Daronmont is involved with several projects and sustainment contracts in support of numerous Air Force Units. Nathan Hallam, MRC Project Integration Manager for Daronmont Technologies, says there are five staff currently working in the Newcastle office with plans to grow well beyond this as business supporting Defence in the Newcastle area expands.

“Daronmont recognises significant opportunities for growth in the engineering services it provides Defence, and Astra Aerolab at Newcastle Airport is the ideal location to base this growth for our Air Force customers.
“Our close proximity to the Air Force base will allow us to provide improved response times when on-site support is required. Additionally, the ability to have regular face to face engagements is expected to strengthen relationships with our Defence customers,” Mr Hallam said.

Located next door to Daronmont Technologies is close partner PLEXSYS Australia, a modelling and simulation software company with more than 30 years’ experience delivering Live, Virtual, and Constructive training readiness solutions and innovation.

Their new office in the Newcastle Airport aviation precinct is home to eight employees who are all ex-veterans, and the company has plans to expand the team with an additional four staff by early 2023.

Robert Miller, Director of PLEXSYS Australia, says the attraction to set up office in the Newcastle Airport aviation precinct was driven by the desire to be close to the RAAF Base and Astra Aerolab.

“We are supporting numerous units at RAAF Base Williamtown, and around Australia, with our products and Synthetic Environmental Specialists. We work with close partners Daronmont Technologies in support of the 41WG Training system with the aim of providing a high-quality synthetic environment for the REALMS (built and supported by Daronmont) training system. We are also supporting the Air Warfare Centre’s by supplying our ASCOT 7 system.

“Setting up our Newcastle office in the airport precinct allows us to focus on serving our Australian Warfighters by providing them with the best possible service and also Synthetic Training systems,” Mr Miller said.

Leading Defence Contractors Set Up Base at Newcastle Airport

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