Shoal has applied Complex Systems Engineering expertise to more than 400 projects, supporting the design, assurance and delivery of technology-intensive systems. This has included capabilities in digital engineering, capability and mission design, system assurance and research and development. Complementing this, our Decision Support Analytics team has delivered more than 125, enabling evidence-based decision-making across complex environments. Across our work, this translates into more than 425 projects in Defence, 35 in Space, 60 in Transport & Infrastructure, and an emerging portfolio in Energy.

Shoal invests heavily in professional development through Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) certification with the International Council on Systems Engineering, the leading global body for the discipline. SEP certification recognises individual competency through demonstrated knowledge, education and experience. Shoal employs amongst the largest number of SEP-certified systems engineers in Australia, reflecting a sustained commitment to building deep technical capability and maintaining high standards across its systems engineering practice.

Shoal has been recognised at an organisational level for its contribution to industry, innovation and capability development. This has included honours at the Space Connect Australian Space Awards, where Shoal received Innovator of the Year (Company), SME of the Year and Graduate Program of the Year. Shoal was also named on the Australian Financial Review BOSS Best Places to Work list, alongside recognition through awards such as the Defence Teaming Centre Innovation Award and Simulation Australasia Project Innovation Award. These achievements reflected Shoal’s impact across technology, projects and people.

Across our 25-year history, Shoal’s people have been recognised for their expertise, leadership and contribution to industry through a range of national and international awards. These included honours such as the John Mitchell \Early Career Innovator Award, Defence Industry Leadership Program Achievement Award, Australian Defence Force Bronze Commendation, and recognition through programs including the IAF Emerging Space Leaders Grant Programme and a NASA Ames Research Center internship. These achievements reflected the depth of capability within Shoal and its commitment to developing people who contribute meaningfully across complex, high-impact domains.

Shoal has invested in research and development to advance new capabilities across emerging and complex domains. This has included work in quantum computing applications, rapid warship signature analysis, aerospace modelling and simulation, and digital mission engineering. Shoal also contributed to initiatives such as the SmartSat CRC CHORUS satellite terminal and AI-driven force design. Through this work, Shoal translated advanced research into practical applications, strengthening its ability to solve complex problems and deliver innovative solutions across Defence, Space and other technology-intensive sectors.

Shoal has applied its Decision Support Analytics capability to support complex, high-stakes decision-making across Defence and Space domains. This includes modelling and analysis of guided weapon performance and safety, submarine systems behaviour, and space launch and return safety. Shoal has also supported force design option testing, intelligence mission data production and radar characterisation and performance assessment. Through advanced modelling, simulation and analytics, Shoal enables evidence-based decisions in environments defined by uncertainty, risk and operational complexity.

Shoal has applied its expertise in Operational Design and Management to support the readiness, performance and sustainment of complex systems and assets. This includes work across asset management, operational readiness and capability improvement programs, including Hydro Tasmania asset management, the Baltimore Metro, Sydney Trains incident management and ship seaworthiness. Shoal also supported production and capability uplift initiatives in areas such as ruggedised electronics and battery design, helping organisations improve operational effectiveness, resilience and system performance.

Shoal has applied its systems engineering expertise across Transport and Energy programs, supporting the design and integration of complex infrastructure systems. This has included work on major projects such as Sydney Metro systems architecture, the Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop, Digital Rail signalling concept design and the New Zealand iReX ferry replacement. Shoal also contributed to emerging areas including mining and transport electrification and green ammonia production, supporting the transition to more sustainable, connected and resilient infrastructure systems.

Shoal has developed and sustained core Mission Engineering capabilities from 2007, with experience across major Defence domains and their principal projects and programs. This has included expertise in capability design, mission characterisation, architecture development and mission engineering analysis. Shoal applied these capabilities across complex programs such as integrated air and missile defence, land systems and maritime platforms, supporting the definition and assessment of operational capability in mission context.

Shoal has applied its systems engineering expertise across a broad range of Defence and Space programs, supporting the design and integration of complex operational capabilities. This work has spanned domains including naval surface warfare, integrated air and missile defence, land systems, space domain awareness, long-range radar surveillance and space communications. Working across these environments, Shoal supported the development of interconnected systems that required coordination across platforms, technologies and stakeholders, contributing to the delivery of effective, mission-ready capability.

Shoal Group was named a finalist in the Professional Services category of the Australian Financial Review BOSS Best Places to Work 2026, recognising organisations that foster high-performing, agile and connected workplaces. Inclusion on the 2026 list reflected Shoal’s deliberate focus on building a culture grounded in trust, flexibility and meaningful work. Guided by its People Vision—for every employee to have a career-defining experience—this recognition highlighted the people, thinking and culture that shaped Shoal and its impact.

Shoal Group entered a strategic collaboration with Assystem of the UK and France to support AUKUS Pillar I, contributing to the development of Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine capability and strengthening sovereign capacity in naval technologies and infrastructure. The partnership brought together Shoal’s expertise in systems thinking, modelling, simulation and analysis with Assystem’s global leadership in nuclear engineering. Building on Shoal’s longstanding contribution to Australia’s submarine programs, the collaboration supports knowledge transfer, capability development and enhanced in-market capacity under the AUKUS framework.

Senior Principal Systems Engineer, Stephen Cook, was elected President-Elect of International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) in 2025. An INCOSE Fellow and long-standing contributor to the profession, his election recognised his international standing and commitment to advancing systems engineering. President-Elect serves on the Executive Committee and Board before commencing a two-year term as President, contributing to the continued growth, collaboration and global influence of the systems engineering community.

Shoal developed FastCAD, as part of its ongoing investment in innovation and research and development, delivering a tool for faster and more effective warship signature assessment. Using LiDAR and photogrammetry, FastCAD generated high-resolution 3D CAD models to support rapid radar vulnerability analysis and operational decision-making. The capability improved the speed, cost and accuracy of platform survivability assessments for the Royal Australian Navy. FastCAD was recognised with the Defence Teaming Centre (DTC) Innovation Award in 2025, highlighting Shoal’s commitment to delivering practical, high-impact Defence solutions.

Shoal Group launched a National Resilience report, outlining a systems-based approach to strengthening Australia’s ability to anticipate, withstand and recover from complex disruptions. Drawing on our expertise in systems engineering, modelling, simulation and analysis, the report highlights the importance of understanding interdependencies across critical infrastructure, supply chains and national capabilities. It reinforces the need for coordinated whole-of-system thinking to support informed decision-making and long-term resilience outcomes across government and industry.

In 2024, Shoal expanded its market focus to include the Energy sector, applying systems thinking and digital engineering expertise to the challenges of energy transition. Working across complex, interconnected systems, Shoal supports the design and delivery of solutions that balance technical, operational and stakeholder requirements. Through enterprise and physics-based modelling, Shoal enables informed decision-making across areas such as decarbonisation, asset integration and project feasibility, helping organisations navigate uncertainty and deliver effective outcomes in an evolving energy landscape.

Since 2021, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies have been applied to Shoal’s engineering and analytical workflows. We leverage advanced AI/ML across our engineering integration, and operational decision support activities to better solve complex systems challenges, delivering scalable tools that enhance analysis and accelerate design. The AI/ML-enabled projects range from high accuracy 3D geometry modelling and requirements assurance to synthetic sonar data generation and ML driven optimisation for air and missile defence, all backed by verification and validation to ensure that while efficiencies are gained, we continue to undertake a measured approach.

In 2020, Shoal introduced a customer-centric corporate structure designed to bring the business closer to clients and shift the focus from managing activities to delivering outcomes and pursuing new opportunities. Reflecting its growth into a distributed national team with deep market expertise, Shoal was restructured into three business units; Defence & Space, Transport & Infrastructure, and Blue Water. Blue Water was established as Shoal’s innovation hub, focused on developing new ideas into commercial products and services and exploring new opportunities across the business.

Shoal supported the safe return of JAXA’s Hayabusa2 sample return capsule to Australia in 2020. Engaged by the Australian Space Agency, Shoal conducted an independent technical assessment of the return application, including high-fidelity modelling of the capsule’s hypersonic re-entry and potential failure modes. The analysis also supported the Australian Space Agency, the Commonwealth Return Safety Officer and JAXA during Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre decision-making, contributing to the successful landing of the capsule within the Woomera Prohibited Area.

Shoal has maintained an ISO 9001:2015 certified Quality Management System (QMS) aligned with industry best practice since first achieving certification in 2017. The QMS was sustained through structured continuous improvement processes and regular internal and external audits to ensure ongoing compliance with ISO standards. It also met the requirements of the Defence Technical Regulatory Framework, supporting the consistent delivery of high-quality, compliant outcomes across Shoal’s work in complex, safety-critical environments.

In 2015, Aerospace Concepts rebranded to Shoal, reflecting the company it had become and the broader markets it was serving. Moving beyond a specialist aerospace consultancy, Shoal evolved with integrated advisory services working across defence, space, transport and infrastructure. Inspired by the behaviour of natural systems, the name “Shoal” represents coordinated expertise and adaptability in navigating complex, interconnected environments. The rebrand marked a step forward, while retaining the technical foundations and heritage that continue to underpin Shoal’s approach to solving complex challenges today.

Shoal Group played a foundational role in the creation of QxBranch, a quantum computing software and services company developed through early research and collaboration with Lockheed Martin. Emerging from Shoal’s application of systems engineering and modelling to nascent quantum technologies, QxBranch was established to develop practical, application-focused uses for quantum computing. Following its spin-out, the company grew into a globally recognised leader in quantum analytics, contributing to the commercialisation of quantum computing across multiple industries.

SHARC (Shoal Aerospace and Risk Capability) is Shoal Group’s advanced aerospace modelling and simulation capability, used to analyse complex vehicles and failure modes in support of safe, compliant operations. It applies high-fidelity physics models, Monte Carlo simulation and statistical risk analysis to define safe operating boundaries for flight trials, UAV operations, missile testing, rocket launches and spacecraft re-entry. Drawing on extensive civil and defence range safety experience, SHARC has been progressively developed since 2010 and applied to real-world programs including JAXA’s Hayabusa missions and a range of defence systems, informing regulatory and safety decisions.

The Antarctic Broadband program, led by Shoal (then Aerospace Concepts) with international partners, was part-funded by a $2.1M Australian Space Research Program grant awarded in 2009. The program developed a nanosatellite-based Ka-band communications system to support reliable, high-quality connectivity for Antarctic science, including a demonstrator satellite, ground infrastructure and a station at Mt Stromlo Observatory. The work was recognised with an Engineers Australia Engineering Excellence Award and showcased on ABC TV and internationally, contributing to further satellite research and development initiatives.

Shoal Group maintained a strong track record in aerospace vehicle behaviour research, with a focus on probabilistic range safety analysis of complex, guided systems. This work centred on high-fidelity modelling and simulation, supported by the Range-Safety Template Toolkit (RSTT), developed in partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Group since 2004. The toolkit was applied across a range of guided missiles and spacecraft, with ongoing research extending its accessibility and application to emerging domains such as Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Founded in 2001 by Shaun Wilson, Aerospace Concepts Pty Ltd began as a small, independent consultancy shaped by a desire to pursue technically challenging work. Operating initially as a lean and flexible team, the company built its reputation delivering complex concept development services across aerospace, information technology and telecommunications. Much of this work was secured through trusted relationships and by-invitation engagements; an early indication of the credibility and capability that would underpin Shoal’s growth.