Boeing Research & Technology - Australia

Boeing Research & Technology – Australia supports the future growth and profitability of Boeing Australia’s businesses and the broader Boeing enterprise. This advanced research and development arm creates future aerospace solutions while improving the cycle time, cost, quality and performance of current systems.

Two Australian-based locations – the Melbourne Technology Centre, co-located with Boeing Aerostructures Australia and the Brisbane Technology Centre, co-located in The University of Queensland, are microcosms of research and development transforming the aerospace and defence industry.

Partnering for a Brighter Future

BR&T-A is a highly collaborative organisation that brings the best of Australian technology to Boeing. It’s a focal point for collaboration with research and development organisations, including universities, private sector providers, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Defence Science and Technology Group. A core strategy of BR&T-A’s success is leveraging the research capabilities within Australia’s leading universities. BR&T-A champions a unique PhD Alliance and Industry Scholarship program, which provides top-up funding for PhD students and creates a leading talent pipeline for Boeing Australia.

A hallmark of Boeing's technology partnerships in Australia is a 30+ year relationship with CSIRO. The two organisations have jointly invested more than $AUD200 million over the course of the partnership. CSIRO has been named Boeing’s Supplier of the Year on four occasions: 2011, 2016, 2017 and 2018 in the Environmental category. The parties have made numerous breakthroughs since first partnering in 1989.

Research Areas

The work BR&T-A performs today transcends numerous parts of Boeing's businesses in Australia and around the world.

In Brisbane, research areas include:

• Additive manufacturing
• Advanced autonomy
• Computational mechanics
• Human factors
• Live virtual, and constructive modelling and simulation.
• Low-cost resin infusion
• Model-based engineering
• Remote testing and advanced test automation
• Smart robotics

In Melbourne, research areas include:

• Autonomous systems
• Human factors
• Large-scale resin-infused composite structures
• Light robotics and automation
• Platform maintenance technologies
• Sensing to support high-end defence platforms and services
• Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS)
• Wideband communications
• Leading the implementation of Boeing's environment strategy around sustainable aviation fuels in Australia and the South Pacific region.

Research Investments in Australia

Recent examples of Boeing Research & Technology investments in Australia include: