Saab Australia (Saab) has moved another step closer to delivery of Australia’s deployable health capability (JP2060 Phase 3) with the acceptance of three award-winning Military CT scanners from key technology supplier and capability partner Marshall Land Systems.
Representatives from Saab, the Australian Defence Force and the Department for Business and Trade came together at Marshall Land Systems’ manufacturing facility last week to formally accept the CT Scanners and celebrate the handover of the technology.
“I am delighted that Saab Australia were able to join us in the UK to complete the formal acceptance of our Military CT scanning capability for a critical element of the JP2060 Phase 3 program,” said Marshall Land Systems Managing Director Gary Moynehan.
“Our innovative and award-winning CT scanner system is designed to meet clinicians’ needs for the highest quality diagnostic imagery, even in the most austere environments, and can be operational within four hours of arrival in theatre. Our engineering has ensured that the containerised solution will bring a high level of mobility and flexibility to the field hospitals that will be deployed across Australia.”
Marshall Land Systems has invested over £1M in research and development to provide CT scanning in a mobile containerised configuration since the requirements were originally set by NATO through its global competitive tender for military CT.
The benefit of having access to CT scanners in the field cannot be overstated: they give military surgeons vital imagery on deployed operations, allowing them to save lives by quickly and accurately diagnosing trauma for severely injured patients.
Saab Australia Managing Director, Andy Keough CSC, congratulated Marshall Land Systems and the Saab project team on the milestone.
“Saab has brought together world-leading technology providers and healthcare experts to deliver the JP2060 Phase 3 deployable health capability for the Australian Defence Force. We’re delighted to have Marshall Land Systems as a partner and to be utilising their proven deployable health technology, including these CT scanners.
Safe, effective and reliable medical equipment is critical to ensuring our ADF has the very best deployable health capability.”
Saab signed a contract with the Australian Department of Defence in 2020 to deliver more than 550 deployable health modules. The AUD 370 million order is to be fulfilled by 2024. Modules within the program will include features such as surgical theatres, x-ray, CT scanning and ultrasound equipment, and trauma, intensive care and ward units.
UK Minister of State (Indo-Pacific), The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan said; “It is fantastic to see an independent UK business like Marshall partner with Australian organisations to ensure humanitarian, defence and security forces have easy access to life saving capabilities wherever they are needed.
“The UK Government is committed to supporting our friends and allies around the globe. With the UK-Australian trade deal recently coming into force, we hope that more businesses will seize opportunities to export and share the best of UK products and services, which in turn creates jobs, opportunities and prosperity across the country.”
The project seeks to acquire modular and scalable field hospitals to provide deployed trauma services that meet NATO performance targets. The field hospital include soft and hard shelters operating theatres, intensive-care beds, wards, and ancillary services such as x-rays, CT imaging, laboratory diagnostics, and dental services.
Marshall and Philips have worked together within an exclusive collaborative agreement for over 12 years, which has enabled the most advanced imaging technology to be incorporated into military operational medicine and other similarly demanding environments. Marshall Land Systems also received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2013 in the Innovation category for their work in developing the containerised CT Scanner.