Australian battery maker lands $161 million defence deal for infantry vehicles

Australian company Edea Energy says it has landed a $161 million deal to supply Australian-made lithium-ion battery solutions for the Redback infantry fighting vehicle, and expects batteries to play an increasingly important role in the military.

“Edea can now confidently supply the Australian Defence Force …. with 100% sovereign Australian energy storage solutions from cell processing to battery manufacturing,” says Edea Energy managing director Mark Tipping.

“This eliminates foreign security and supply chain risk and  …. means we can design, develop and manufacture sovereign Australian batteries for almost any defence requirement. One cannot underestimate the importance of this agreement for national security.”

The complex deal will see Edea Energy supply the Tomago-based Energy Renaissance, to build the batteries for Hanwha Defense Australia to use in its Redback infantry fighting vehicle.

EDEA Energy was founded in 2018 by Tipping and Dr Mark Sandford to create Australian owned, designed and manufactured battery products. The mission of the company is to empower communities with safe, reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions.

Speaking at a Defence Connect lunch event in Canberra, Tipping said: “We’ve developed what we believe is the world’s most advanced and secure 100% Australian manufactured lithium ion batteries from cell processing to battery manufacture. With hyper accurate and cyber secure battery management systems developed by CSIRO.

“I also want to acknowledge Hanwha Defense Australia who took a risk and engaged a small Victorian battery company to develop a prototype for them. Those batteries are now going over to Korea for testing on the Redback and we’re hoping for excellent results.”

In February 2022, Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) announced that it would test locally developed battery solutions in the Redback IFV, providing greater optionality to power the armoured vehicle.

“The potential for gains in sovereign capability in crucial components is significant,” said managing director of Hanwha Defense Australia Richard Cho.  “I have a big aspiration to support retaining the manufacturing capability in Australia, which can combat the global supply chain issue due to the pandemic or another crisis.”