Building AUKUS Opportunities in Queensland
Join us at the AUKUS Forum with Banana Shire Council. Register now to be part of vital discussions on AUKUS & industry cooperation.
About this event
The AUKUS Forum, in collaboration with Banana Shire Council invites businesses from across Queensland - across all industries - to learn about new opportunities from AUKUS.
The nuclear powered submarine project with AUKUS thrusts Australia into a whole new world where innovation and technology rule.
AUKUS will be much more than nuclear submarines and the opportunities will expand into all industries - The Prime Minister has said that AUKUS will be the largest industrial endeavour in Australia's history and will require a whole of nation effort. "This whole of nation effort also presents a whole of nation opportunity; for new jobs, new industries, and new expertise in science, technology and cyber."
AUKUS is already expanding from nuclear with particular emphasis on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and more.
Join us to hear from defence industry leaders, world leading researchers and industry experts as we build a whole new ecosystem to build the AUKUS Partnership.
Collaboration will help unleash the power of AUKUS - Join us.
AGENDA
Please Note - No media, no cameras, no mobile phone filming.
[8.30-9.15] Registration and light breakfast
[9.15-9.45] Welcome - Mayor of Banana Shire Council, Cr Nev Ferrier.
[9.45-10.30] Vandiver Hood| Chief Operating Officer at United States Bomb Technician Association. Vandiver “Van” Hood, Chief Master Sergeant (retired) United States Air Force, hails from Greensboro, NC. Van served as an Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician for over 30 years retiring as the Air Force EOD Career Field Manager. During his time in the Air Force, he served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan earning the Legion of Merit and three Bronze Stars. As the USBTA Chief Operating Officer Van overseas all operational activities and the strategic plans to support USBTA activities including congressional support activities, training, education, community outreach, technology exchange, member relations, facility operations, and industry support. (Via zoom from Maryland, USA)
[10.30 -11.15] Col. Gloria Berlanga (Ret.) — Associate VP, Defense Sector, Rhode Island Commerce - Rhode Island’s compact maritime ecosystem—Quonset & Newport, NUWC & the Naval War College, plus Electric Boat, Raytheon, and agile dual-use SMEs—offers ready AUKUS pathways: supplier qualification, joint prototyping in sea/undersea & unmanned systems, workforce exchanges, and co-location at Quonset, Unity, and Aquidneck. A trailblazer (one of the first women to graduate the U.S. Army Engineer School; former Chief of Staff, RI National Guard), Col. Berlanga focuses on turning strategy into delivery. (Via Teams from Rhode Island)
[11.15-12.00] Ryan Esem - As Managing Director of Rurex Pty Ltd, Ryan is an explosives professional and has the ability to build and maintain close, genuine professional relationships with people from all walks of the civil, mining and defence sectors of the industry, combined with having grown up and worked in remote, outback locations most of his life, Ryan and his extended network are able to build almost anything, fix almost everything and dream up solutions to what you think are your impossible problems. The whole time keeping you and your data safe.
In the Australian Outback, Rurex has privately built its capabilities into a fully functioning technology centre for Testing & Evaluation (T&E), supporting civil and defence manufacturers and solving some of the biggest dangerous goods disposal problems.
Over 150 combined years of explosives experience across many fields - The company's experienced, skilled extended staff, including notable professionals, all with over 20+ years of explosives experience and all have a strong belief in the Rurex vision. Their expertise spans from close-proximity / small-scale blasting to manufacturing and innovation management, to weapons effects.
Rurex’s BETEC facility is the only SafeWork NSW and EPA-licensed facility of its type in Australia. With multiple firing ranges allowing for multiple applications and continuity, a specialised bunker with live video and a selection of coms for remote equipment & data management.
Roving stand alone camera modules, protective structures for equipment and DAQ systems, fixed testing areas, and adaptable range locations.
The Rurex ever growing list of Dataloggers, sensors, lifting, loading, earthmoving equipment means less that you need to bring and the team are experienced at using it so further guaranteeing you get your data – When You’ve Only Got One Shot at it.
[12.00-1.00] Lunch
[1.00-1.45] Latest insights with the AUKUS Forum and boosting regional economic development (Michael Sharpe - Chief Executive, AUKUS Forum) - Integrating Regional Manufacturing Businesses into Defence Supply Chain Opportunities.
[1.45-2.30pm] Equilibrium Aerospace, founded by hypersonic propulsion engineer Maciej Grybko and based in Toowoomba, specialises in developing Rotating Detonation Ramjet (RDR) propulsion systems for supersonic and hypersonic applications.
As part of his PhD, Maciej tested a hydrogen-fuelled prototype at Mach 4 in a hypersonic wind tunnel, achieving TRL 5. Equilibrium Aerospace is now developing a kerosene-fuelled engine targeted for flight testing in 2028. These compact, no-moving-parts engines deliver higher combustion efficiency and reduced size, offering increased range and payload of a missile.
Equilibrium Aerospace plans to develop a sovereign, low-cost supersonic cruise missile for Australian defence by 2030.
[2.30-3pm] Afternoon tea – Networking
Registration & Tickets
Tickets are free.
Please register using your work email address.
We reserve the rights to cancel tickets at our discretion. For any cancellation, notification will be provided via email.
Registration close on Monday 9th March, 2026 at 11:59pm. Unfortunately we cannot accept any registration after this date.
DIRECTIONS
Venue - Hotel Settlers – Function room
58 Dawson Hwy, Biloela QLD 4715
Join us at the AUKUS Forum with Banana Shire Council. Register now to be part of vital discussions on AUKUS & industry cooperation.
About this event
The AUKUS Forum, in collaboration with Banana Shire Council invites businesses from across Queensland - across all industries - to learn about new opportunities from AUKUS.
The nuclear powered submarine project with AUKUS thrusts Australia into a whole new world where innovation and technology rule.
AUKUS will be much more than nuclear submarines and the opportunities will expand into all industries - The Prime Minister has said that AUKUS will be the largest industrial endeavour in Australia's history and will require a whole of nation effort. "This whole of nation effort also presents a whole of nation opportunity; for new jobs, new industries, and new expertise in science, technology and cyber."
AUKUS is already expanding from nuclear with particular emphasis on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and more.
Join us to hear from defence industry leaders, world leading researchers and industry experts as we build a whole new ecosystem to build the AUKUS Partnership.
Collaboration will help unleash the power of AUKUS - Join us.
AGENDA
Please Note - No media, no cameras, no mobile phone filming.
[8.30-9.15] Registration and light breakfast
[9.15-9.45] Welcome - Mayor of Banana Shire Council, Cr Nev Ferrier.
[9.45-10.30] Vandiver Hood| Chief Operating Officer at United States Bomb Technician Association. Vandiver “Van” Hood, Chief Master Sergeant (retired) United States Air Force, hails from Greensboro, NC. Van served as an Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician for over 30 years retiring as the Air Force EOD Career Field Manager. During his time in the Air Force, he served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan earning the Legion of Merit and three Bronze Stars. As the USBTA Chief Operating Officer Van overseas all operational activities and the strategic plans to support USBTA activities including congressional support activities, training, education, community outreach, technology exchange, member relations, facility operations, and industry support. (Via zoom from Maryland, USA)
[10.30 -11.15] Col. Gloria Berlanga (Ret.) — Associate VP, Defense Sector, Rhode Island Commerce - Rhode Island’s compact maritime ecosystem—Quonset & Newport, NUWC & the Naval War College, plus Electric Boat, Raytheon, and agile dual-use SMEs—offers ready AUKUS pathways: supplier qualification, joint prototyping in sea/undersea & unmanned systems, workforce exchanges, and co-location at Quonset, Unity, and Aquidneck. A trailblazer (one of the first women to graduate the U.S. Army Engineer School; former Chief of Staff, RI National Guard), Col. Berlanga focuses on turning strategy into delivery. (Via Teams from Rhode Island)
[11.15-12.00] Ryan Esem - As Managing Director of Rurex Pty Ltd, Ryan is an explosives professional and has the ability to build and maintain close, genuine professional relationships with people from all walks of the civil, mining and defence sectors of the industry, combined with having grown up and worked in remote, outback locations most of his life, Ryan and his extended network are able to build almost anything, fix almost everything and dream up solutions to what you think are your impossible problems. The whole time keeping you and your data safe.
In the Australian Outback, Rurex has privately built its capabilities into a fully functioning technology centre for Testing & Evaluation (T&E), supporting civil and defence manufacturers and solving some of the biggest dangerous goods disposal problems.
Over 150 combined years of explosives experience across many fields - The company's experienced, skilled extended staff, including notable professionals, all with over 20+ years of explosives experience and all have a strong belief in the Rurex vision. Their expertise spans from close-proximity / small-scale blasting to manufacturing and innovation management, to weapons effects.
Rurex’s BETEC facility is the only SafeWork NSW and EPA-licensed facility of its type in Australia. With multiple firing ranges allowing for multiple applications and continuity, a specialised bunker with live video and a selection of coms for remote equipment & data management.
Roving stand alone camera modules, protective structures for equipment and DAQ systems, fixed testing areas, and adaptable range locations.
The Rurex ever growing list of Dataloggers, sensors, lifting, loading, earthmoving equipment means less that you need to bring and the team are experienced at using it so further guaranteeing you get your data – When You’ve Only Got One Shot at it.
[12.00-1.00] Lunch
[1.00-1.45] Latest insights with the AUKUS Forum and boosting regional economic development (Michael Sharpe - Chief Executive, AUKUS Forum) - Integrating Regional Manufacturing Businesses into Defence Supply Chain Opportunities.
[1.45-2.30pm] Equilibrium Aerospace, founded by hypersonic propulsion engineer Maciej Grybko and based in Toowoomba, specialises in developing Rotating Detonation Ramjet (RDR) propulsion systems for supersonic and hypersonic applications.
As part of his PhD, Maciej tested a hydrogen-fuelled prototype at Mach 4 in a hypersonic wind tunnel, achieving TRL 5. Equilibrium Aerospace is now developing a kerosene-fuelled engine targeted for flight testing in 2028. These compact, no-moving-parts engines deliver higher combustion efficiency and reduced size, offering increased range and payload of a missile.
Equilibrium Aerospace plans to develop a sovereign, low-cost supersonic cruise missile for Australian defence by 2030.
[2.30-3pm] Afternoon tea – Networking
Registration & Tickets
Tickets are free.
Please register using your work email address.
We reserve the rights to cancel tickets at our discretion. For any cancellation, notification will be provided via email.
Registration close on Monday 9th March, 2026 at 11:59pm. Unfortunately we cannot accept any registration after this date.
DIRECTIONS
Venue - Hotel Settlers – Function room
58 Dawson Hwy, Biloela QLD 4715
Good to know
Highlights
- 6 hours
- In-person
Location
Hotel Settlers
58 Dawson Highway
Biloela, QLD 4715
How would you like to get there?
