Northern Australia Tactical Engineering - NATE

05/10/2026

We’re here, the stand is set, and we’re excited for Land Forces 2026! 🇦🇺🙌

After the big journey across Australia, it’s fantastic to see our blast survivability cabin concept on display and ready for visitors.

The NATE team is looking forward to meeting new people, catching up with familiar faces and talking about our cabin concept, Armoured UTV development and the future of Australian protected mobility.

There’s plenty of work ahead—and we’re optimistic about the conversations and partnerships that could help move these projects forward.

📍 COME SAY G’DAY — LEVEL 3, STAND M05!

Take a closer look, ask us about the engineering and share your ideas. We’d love to meet you!

03/10/2026

🇦🇺 Across the continent and ready for Land Forces 2026!

The NATE team has made it to Perth with our Blast Survivability Module concept, and we’re looking forward to getting in on Sunday to set up for a big few days ahead.

It’s been an epic road trip, driven by our commitment to Australian engineering and the opportunity to show what we’re working towards.

For us, true sovereign capability means having the people, knowledge and engineering skills here in Australia to design, develop, test and support our own solutions.

We’re proud to bring that conversation to Land Forces—and we’d love you to be part of it.

📍 Level 3 | Stand M05

Come say G’day, take a look at the concept and meet the team behind NATE.

See you there! 🇦🇺

22/09/2026

A positive new chapter for NATE NQ

Over the past few months, we have taken the time to look carefully at where our greatest opportunities lie and how we can build a stronger, more focused future.

As part of the restructure of the MGH Group of Companies, we have made the difficult decision for North Queensland Automotive and Fleet Services Pty Ltd (NQAF) to cease trading. NQAF is not being wound up. This is a deliberate step that allows us to focus our people, experience and resources on the future of Northern Australian Tactical Engineering Pty Ltd—NATE NQ.

Our direction is clear: professional mechanical engineering services, specialist engineering solutions and practical support for industries operating across Northern Australia.

We are genuinely excited about what lies ahead. NATE NQ has a talented team, strong technical capability and a real understanding of the conditions and challenges faced by our clients. We believe there is enormous potential to build something meaningful, sustainable and proudly based in North Queensland.

We are also incredibly proud of the people who made the transition from AEV and helped us begin the NQAF journey. They backed us, worked hard and gave it a bloody good crack. The decision to cease automotive trading is not a reflection of their ability or commitment—it is about focusing the business where we believe the strongest opportunities exist.

NATE NQ will continue operating from the same facility, with our attention now firmly on growing our professional mechanical engineering capability.
To our team, customers, suppliers, families and everyone who has supported us: thank you. We are humbled by the trust and encouragement we have received, and we do not take any of it for granted.

Restructuring a business requires difficult decisions, but it also creates the opportunity to reset, refocus and move forward with purpose.
We are proud of where we have come from, grateful for the opportunities in front of us and genuinely optimistic about the future of NATE NQ.

The next chapter begins now.

Send a message to learn more

22/09/2026

A vehicle can look well built and still have unanswered engineering questions.

How will the chassis respond to the modification?
Are the loads going where they should?
Will it brake, handle and perform safely?
Is there evidence to support the approval pathway?

These are the questions our automotive engineering team works through every day.

NATE brings together qualified professional engineers, specialist vehicle experience, controlled testing and practical manufacturing knowledge. Our principal engineer, Michael McMillan, holds a Master of Science in Military Vehicle Technology and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and is a Chartered Professional Engineer and Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland.

From light and heavy vehicle modifications through to specialist vehicle integration, ADR testing, structural analysis and prototype development, our focus is straightforward:
Engineer it properly.
Test it properly.
Document it properly.

Because when a vehicle is carrying people, equipment or an operational responsibility, “good enough” is not an engineering standard.

If you are planning a complex vehicle build or modification, speak with our team before the steel is cut.

📞 (07) 4740 4101
🌐 www.natenq.com.au

Australian veteran-owned engineering firm specializing in vehicle design, testing, and compliance for defence, mining, and industrial sectors in Northern Australia.

08/09/2026

NATE has been working with JMACX Offroad Solutions, undertaking VSB 14 LT2 torsional rigidity testing on its INEOS Grenadier chassis-extension conversion.

This testing provides measurable engineering evidence to support the vehicle’s post-registration approval pathway.

While on site, we have also completed ADR 83 external noise testing and other quantitative vehicle testing.

NATE specialises in high-end vehicle testing that combines practical experience, professional engineering and verifiable results.

We are proud to support JMACX and Australian-engineered vehicle solutions.

06/09/2026

🚙 Ready to Unlock Your LandCruiser's Full Towing Potential?

NATE is proud to offer our 4T BTC Tow Brace Kit for the Toyota LandCruiser 200 and 300 Series.

After extensive development, testing, and validation, our 4 Tonne Braked Tow Capacity (BTC) Upgrade Kit is now available for customer enquiries.

✅ 4T Braked Towing Capacity

✅ Precision-engineered bolt-in design

✅ Clean and efficient installation

✅ Fully tested and compliance-ready

✅ Australian engineered and patent-protected

Whether you're towing for work, touring, or fleet operations, our BTC Tow Brace Kit is designed to deliver the strength, reliability, and compliance you need.

📞 Contact our team today on 07 4740 4101

📧 Email: [email protected]

Secure your kit or request more information.

Built for performance. Engineered for reliability. Certified for compliance.

27/08/2026

🚛 Light & Heavy Vehicle Modification Certification – North Queensland

NATE provides engineering inspection and certification support for light and heavy vehicle modifications across Townsville and the surrounding North Queensland region.

Our Approved Person, Michael “Mick” McMillan, holds an extensive range of Queensland Transport modification codes covering both light and heavy vehicles — from GVM and ATM re-ratings, towing and coupling modifications, through to chassis, suspension, body, seating and other specialist vehicle modifications.

Mick’s full list of approved modification codes can be viewed on the Queensland Government Approved Person Register by searching for Michael McMillan in the Townsville Region.
Approved Person No. MA2732.

And we don’t only work in Townsville.

Next week Mick will be back on the road to Collinsville, supporting some long-time customers with certification work across their road trains, trailers and stock crates. Regional operators are an important part of the work we do, and where practical we can coordinate site visits to help minimise downtime and travel for our customers.

If you have a light vehicle, truck, trailer, road train or specialised vehicle modification requiring engineering assessment or certification, get in touch with the NATE team to discuss what is required.

📩 Message us through Facebook
📞 07 4740 4101
🌐 natenq.com.au

Safe travels next week, Mick — plenty of kilometres and plenty of trucks ahead! 🚛

18/08/2026

NATE is currently undertaking specialist chassis repair work on DT and DS Ram vehicles, in conjunction with Monster Offroad.

Working collaboratively with NQ Automotive & Fleet Services - NQAF, the teams are delivering the required chassis repairs with a focus on quality workmanship, structural integrity and returning each vehicle to service-ready condition.

This project highlights NATE's capability to deliver specialised, fabrication and vehicle repair solutions for a known fault, working alongside industry partners to deliver the right outcomes.

29/06/2026

Northern Australia Tactical Engineering - NATE is proud to share that we are progressing our Armoured UTV project here in North Queensland.

The reason behind this project is simple.

Law enforcement and security agencies are operating in a changing environment, and not every high-risk situation requires a large specialist protected vehicle. In many cases, especially across regional and remote Australia, mobility, response time, availability and affordability matter.

Our Armoured UTV is being developed as a practical, mobile and agile protected platform.

The intent is to support officers and specialist users by providing a platform that can help them get closer to a high-risk site, support operations if required, and provide an option to disengage if a situation deteriorates.

This is not being developed as a fighting platform.

It is being developed as a practical survivability and mobility platform that may help bridge the gap between an unprotected vehicle and a larger specialist armoured response capability.

Regional deployment is a major part of the thinking. In a state the size of Queensland, moving larger specialist platforms from major centres into regional or remote areas can take time. A smaller, more readily deployable protected platform may provide agencies with another option where time, distance and access are critical.

We are now moving the approved design toward manufacture. From here, the process is disciplined: build, test, validate, refine and continue working with the right stakeholders.

NATE's goal is to contribute practical sovereign capability from North Queensland, using local engineering, fabrication and specialist vehicle experience to help solve real operational problems.

Built in North Queensland.
Built for practical use.
Built to support those who move toward risk on behalf of the community.


Note: The pictures are AI Generated from our CAD models. They are not real. But the CAD and the base vehicle exist and are our IP, so we are aware of it and are not intending to deceive.