Leading South Australian provider of portable power solutions and electronic systems, REDARC, has acquired the intellectual property (IP) of local electronic warfare company, Asension, in a move that will protect critical sovereign Defence capabilities.

The acquisition is set to bolster the technical knowledge and expertise of REDARC Defence & Space, which is dedicated to delivering cutting-edge technology to meet the evolving demands of the defence and space industries.

Asension, which announced it had entered voluntary administration earlier this year, was founded in 2018 as an innovative electronic components, sensor, and system provider, focused on developing technology for Australia’s Department of Defence and allied forces.

REDARC Defence & Space Executive General Manager, Scott Begbie, said the acquisition will enable the company to leverage Asension’s IP to provide sophisticated sovereign technologies to increase Australia’s Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare (ISREW) capability.

“This acquisition ensures that the world class intellectual property developed by the great team at Asension remains in sovereign hands,” Mr Begbie said.

“We firmly believe that once commercialised, this highly innovative solution has application across multiple domains including AUKUS Pillar 2.”

Asension was behind the development of the Miniaturised Orbital Electronic Warfare Sensor System (MOESS), a space-based tactical EW sensor system that provides persistent, resilient and adaptable situational awareness.

The MOESS project was awarded $150,000 through the Defence Innovation Partnership’s Collaborative Research Fund in 2018. The funding helped propel the technology towards commercialisation and attract further investment, with the project securing an additional $4.35 million through the Defence Innovation Hub in 2022.

REDARC Defence & Space engineering manager – space, Dr David Murfett, said the company, which had been a proud supporter of Asension since 2021, was excited to bring this important sovereign ISREW capability to market.

“With this acquisition, REDARC seeks to combine our Defence and Space experience to bring to fruition the MOESS vision,” Dr Murfett said.

In addition to MOESS, Asension ventured into the international export market with its Wombat Smart Sensor Suite electronic warfare system. REDARC will continue the development and deployment of this critical defence technology, which offers a software-defined intelligent transceiver to support user-configurable radio frequency applications with high-speed data analysis and monitoring.

The acquisition underscores REDARC’s commitment to supporting the Australian Defence Industry and strengthening Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities. REDARC will continue Asension’s work in electronic warfare, engineering and operations. It will also develop the company’s partnerships with universities, the Defence Science and Technology Group and industry partners.