L-3 Nautronix Profile
Nautronix was established in 1984, the brainchild of a handful of young engineers, in North Fremantle, Australia with the challenge to master undersea acoustic control systems for the offshore oil and gas industry. This talented company, with a then revolutionary concept, caught the attention of local entrepreneurs and shortly thereafter listed on the WA Stock Exchange as Nautronix Limited. The company went from strength to strength over the coming years and established its credentials in the demanding offshore environment. The acquisition of two U.S. based companies and the establishment of a facility in Aberdeen, Scotland, further strengthened the company’s ability to operate in a truly global capacity.
During the mid-1990s it was “discovered” that many of the company’s acoustic systems and solutions could be easily applied in the defence (naval) arena. The successful award of an acoustic range contract heralded the beginning of a new business focus that a few years later represented more than 70 percent of the company’s (global) turnover.
A transfer of ownership in 2002 saw the company’s headquarters move from Fremantle to Aberdeen and Nautronix became, and is today, a publicly unlisted company. The intent of this transition was to refocus efforts into the offshore sector however, defence programs in Australia, U.K. and U.S. remained as the underpinning strength of the business.
L-3 Communications was established in 1997 and is a company that has grown through strategic acquisitions with 2009 revenues in excess of $US15 billion. L-3 Nautronix represents their first major acquisition in Australia and will present an important opportunity for L-3 to significantly expand its Australian footprint. In 2008, L-3 Communications Australia Group acquired HSA Systems which has further extended the overall capability in providing maritime situation awareness solutions for users in both Australia and New Zealand. The HSA operations have been incorporated into the L-3 Nautronix organization.
L-3 Nautronix is a customer focused company, acknowledged as a significant local and global leader in the provision of acoustic systems and solutions to the naval and maritime domains particularly in the areas of through-water communications and portable tracking, and geospatial support systems. This capability extends to hydrographic system solutions that leverage the inherent product design & development, instrumentation, systems engineering and system integration capabilities. The promotion of a systems integration capability has extended the company’s capability in the broader range of network centric and navigation system programs what will broach the areas of border monitoring & protection and homeland security. With more than 20 years of experience, the company prides itself in the capability of its people and the pursuit of excellence in program management and engineering. These are hallmarks of L-3 Nautronix’ operations and are fully aligned with managing and delivering complex programs in the high technology defence and undersea domains.
This latest chapter in the company’s history has been both an exciting and challenging turning point. From its humble beginnings in North Fremantle to becoming an integral member of this truly global enterprise will herald substantial opportunities in Australia and the regional defence sector.
Strengthening
Defence Capability Through Australian Ingenuity and Global Reach |
