Australia’s Defence Industry
Australia’s defence industry supports the advanced needs of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), which operates alongside key allies like the United States around the world. The technologies the ADF uses are battle-proven, interoperable, and meet the highest standards of lethality, interoperability, safety, and survivability.
Australia’s defence industry has delivered tactical land vehicles like the Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) and the Hawkei PMV-light, modern warships such as the Aegis-equipped Air Warfare Destroyers, tactical UAVs, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven surveillance and decision-making capabilities, while also supporting highly advanced aviation platforms like the F-35, Triton UAV, EA-18 Growler, UH-60 Blackhawk, and CH-47 Chinook.
In response to the findings and recommendations outlined in the National Defence: Defence Strategic Review published in April 2023, the Australian Government has published the National Defence Strategy and rebuilt the associated Integrated Investment Plan to deliver an ambitious transformation of the ADF to an integrated, focused force capable of safeguarding Australia’s security for decades to come.
The Integrated Investment Plan commits A$330 billion over the period to 2033-34 and involves a complete rebuild of Defence’s capability procurement plan to meet Australia’s strategic circumstances and accelerate critical capabilities. It represents an additional A$5.7 billion over the next four years and A$50.3 billion over the next decade, above the previous guidance over that period, to deliver:
The Australian Government recognises that a strong, sustainable, and sovereign defence industry is necessary to deliver these ambitions, is vital for developing higher levels of military preparedness and self-reliance, and accelerates innovation and capability delivery. Australia’s strategic circumstances require the targeted development of the sovereign defence industrial base in areas of strategic priority. The Government will support businesses to increase their scale and competitiveness to enable them to deliver the seven Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities established in the 2024 Defence Industry Development Strategy.
Under the newly established Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), Australia will invest more than A$3.4 billion over the next decade to enable Australian companies to develop their innovations and technology for Defence. This investment suggests that Australian companies would have the support to accelerate existing and emerging capabilities, identified as requirements for Defence and its partners now and into the future.
Land and Soldier Capabilities
Australia has a long history of producing tactical vehicles, advanced weapons systems and small arms, lightweight body armour and portable C2 systems, providing leading capability to the ADF and partner nations. A wide range of Australian industry companies are leveraging advanced research capabilities through Defence innovation funding and the experience of active ADF deployments in the Middle East and across the globe. This includes innovations and development across land and soldier capabilities from ballistic protection and high-fidelity targets to robotic and autonomous systems.
Over 200 Australian companies contributed to the battle-proven Thales Australia built Bushmaster and Hawkei vehicles. Hanwha Defence Australia was recently selected to build and support 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles to be built in Australia for the Australian Army, as well as 30 AS9 Huntsman self-propelled artillery systems and 15 AS10 Armoured Ammunition Resupply vehicles; both with significant contributions from a long list of Australian component manufacturers and suppliers.
The Australian Government is investing in several land capabilities that are soon to be ready for the ADF and allied partners. Rheinmetall Defence Australia has begun production of the 8x8 Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles, built in Queensland. More than 200 Australian industry partners across the nation are supporting the manufacturing and sustainment of the vehicles.
AI Systems
The Australian Government recognises AI as a critical enabling technology that can deliver a decisive combat advantage. Building a strong Australian defence industry with an ability to design and integrate AI technology into Defence’s force structure is a critical step in building a robust national defence industry base.
Australia has a robust AI research and development ecosystem, which includes involvement and partnerships from industry, academia and defence organisations. Australia is ranked in the top 5 globally in patent filings for functional applications in natural language processing, and a world leader in AI research. As an example, through Defence funded programs, Australian industry is leveraging AI to increase the persistence, range, autonomy and teaming capabilities of defence vehicles.
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Australian companies are leaders in defence-related robotics technologies. This includes niche, low-cost robotic systems for small and mid-sized applications in land, sea and air domains. The ADF is an early adopter of robotics technologies, partly because of local expertise; Australia’s agriculture and mining industries have organically developed world-leading autonomous systems to help run operations in remote areas and arduous conditions.
The ADF seeks robotics and autonomous systems technologies to help replace, augment or revolutionise current capabilities. Defence envisages using robots in multiple platforms, payloads and control systems. Commercial research in Australia is helping to advance the capabilities of robotics platforms. This includes advances in the basic parameters of autonomous platforms: size, weight, power, and cost. These advances mean that domestic capabilities are helping to accelerate the adoption of autonomous systems in Australia’s military forces.
Training and Simulation Systems
Emerging threats borne from disruptive technologies and evolving warfighting methodologies call for modernised training and support. Australian industry, backed by ADF trials and government support, has recognised these themes, and have innovated accordingly. Australian industry has delivered systems that provide realistic training, derived from real-world conflict experience, in live, virtual and constructive environments, with systems that are interoperable with allies across the globe. With Australian industry support and expertise, Australia jointly hosts the bi-annual Exercise Talisman Saber; the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States, with multinational participation, involving over 30,000 personnel to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Cyber Capabilities
As part of Australia’s A$180 billion defence investment program, approximately A$15 billion is dedicated to build capability in cyber and information over the next decade. Investments in Defence’s information and cyber capabilities will ensure Australia can share information reliably and securely across Defence, including our deployed forces, other Government agencies, and international partners. Australian industry, amongst international partners and primes, have an integral role in providing the advanced technologies and capabilities to meet the emerging demands of the ADF. With rising domestic demand, Australia’s defence industry has a reputation for delivering defence-grade cyber security products and services. Australia’s cyber industry now creates world-class products that are swiftly incorporated into existing systems and platforms.
Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)
Australia’s MRO capabilities comprehensively cover air, land and maritime platform and vehicle systems, propulsion systems, mission and electronic systems, autonomic logistics, and aircraft storage – all in theatre, closer to operations, thereby reducing time off station.
The Australian aerospace industry is firmly grounded in innovative technologies and is capable of delivering complex aircraft systems and services. This includes a variety of MRO capabilities for diverse aircraft types such as the P-8 Poseidon, F-35, Triton UAV, EA-18 Growler, UH-60 Blackhawk, and CH-47 Chinook.
The Australian MRO industry comprises several prominent firms and numerous Small to Medium Enterprises that possess specialised capabilities and extensive experience across major commercial and military platforms.
In the face of global competition, Australia continues to possess key attributes that enable it to play a significant role in the MRO sector across the Indo-Pacific region. These advantages include: