Aurora Labs wins defence grant funding for production scale‍-‍up

Aurora Labs, an Australian specialist in industrial 3D metal printing and printed propulsion technologies, has announced it has been awarded a Defence Industry Development Grant under the Sovereign Industrial Priorities Stream. The grant, amounting to $544,333 on a 50/50 co-investment basis, will support the acquisition of advanced manufacturing equipment to scale Aurora’s production capacity for gas turbine propulsion systems, alongside supporting maintenance and production of parts for the defence industry’s aerospace or maritime applications at its Canning Vale facility in Western Australia.

Aurora Labs specialises in the provision of 3D metal printed parts for defence, oil and gas, and resources applications, and the development of 3D metal printers, powders and associated intellectual property.

The Defence Industry Development Grants Program (DIDGP) is an initiative by the Australian Government aimed at strengthening the nation’s defence industry capabilities. The program provides funding to SMEs to enhance their capacity to deliver critical defence capabilities. The Sovereign Industrial Priorities Stream, under which Aurora's grant falls, assists eligible SMEs in acquiring manufacturing plant and equipment directly used to develop and deliver programs aligned with Australia’s Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities. These priorities include areas such as the development and integration of autonomous systems and the domestic manufacture of guided weapons and explosive ordnance.

Aurora’s grant will be utilised to procure multi-axis CNC machining centres and HVAC temperature control systems, enabling high-precision manufacturing essential for the performance and reliability of Aurora’s micro gas turbine propulsion systems. These systems are specifically developed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other autonomous platforms. The company says the investment will allow Aurora to vertically integrate core production stages of its propulsion systems onshore — from additive manufacturing of complex geometries to post-processing machining and final assembly. By doing so, Aurora aims to reduce dependence on foreign supply chains, strengthen national resilience, and ensure continuity of capability in support of Australia’s strategic defence posture.

“This grant is not just an investment in Aurora — it’s an investment in sovereign capability,” said Rebekah Letheby, CEO. “By building end-to-end manufacturing capability onshore, we’re positioning Australia to independently develop and supply propulsion technology that is critical to the future of our country’s defence autonomy. This program accelerates Aurora’s ability to deliver on our vision of a sovereign, vertically integrated propulsion supply chain.”

Image credit: Aurora Labs Limited