Australia launches “Defence Industrial Capability Plan”

The Australian government on April 23 released its Defence Industrial Capability Plan which is aimed at developing a “robust, resilient and internationally competitive Australian defence industry base.”

The plan is designed to maximize the involvement of competitive Australian companies in the acquisition, operation, and sustainment of defense capability.

“The plan has a key message for industry— that we expect all companies, including primes, that want to work with Defence, to consider how they currently or might best fit in to the big picture,” Australian defense industry minister Christopher Pyne said announcing the plan at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

“Because we want industry to structure and invest to maximize their involvement, the plan strengthens the definition of Australian defense industry.”

As outlined by the defense industry minister, the ten initial Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities include the Collins-class submarine maintenance and technology upgrade; a Continuous Shipbuilding Program (including rolling submarine acquisition); Land Combat Vehicle and technology upgrade; Enhanced Active and Passive Phased Array Radar Capability; Combat clothing survivability and signature reduction technologies; Advanced signal processing capability in Electronic Warfare, Cyber and Information Security, and Signature Management technologies and operations; Surveillance and Intelligence data collection, analysis and dissemination, and Complex Systems Integration; Test, Evaluation, Certification and Systems Assurance; Munitions and Small Arms Research, Design, Development and Manufacture and Aerospace Platform Deep Maintenance.

Australian Defence Export Office

In addition to the Defence Industrial Capability Plan, Christopher Pyne today opened the Australian Defence Export Office in Canberra, one of the key initiatives of the Defence Export Strategy released on 29 January 2018.

“The Defence Export Strategy sets out a plan to boost Australian industry, increase investment, and create more jobs for Australian businesses,” Pyne said.

“The Australian Defence Export Office will provide a focal point for whole-of-government delivery of the systematic approach and initiatives set out in the Strategy.”

Minister Pyne said establishing the Australian Defence Export Office was a critical step in achieving the export success needed to support and develop the Australian defense industry.

More info on the Defence Industrial Capability Plan can be found here.