Media releases

Minister for Defence - JASSM achieves Final Operational Capability

Minister for Defence, Senator David Johnston, today announced Final Operational Capability (FOC) had been achieved for Project AIR 5418, the AGM-158A Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-Off Missile (JASSM). “The Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-Off Missile is now fully in service and is an extremely capable, long…

Minister for Defence - Jindalee Operational Radar Network achieves Final Operational Capability

The Jindalee Operational Radar Network, provided by Joint Project 2025 Phase Five, has achieved Final Operational Capability (FOC) Defence Minister David Johnston said today. Senator Johnston said the successful delivery of JP 2025 Phase Five has improved JORN’s over-the-horizon-radar performance…

Minister for Defence - Funding to skill Australia’s defence industry

The latest round of funding under the Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry (SADI) initiative was announced today by Minister for Defence, Senator David Johnston. Senator Johnston said more than $5 million in funding would be made available to industry in the 2014-15 financial year under round one…

Minister for Defence - Space agreement a milestone in international cooperation

Defence cooperation between Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and United States has been further enhanced by the establishment of a formal partnership on combined space operations. Minister for Defence David Johnston said the partnership announced today marked a significant milestone in the…

Minister for Defence - Staunching Labor’s $16 billion Defence haemorrhage

This Budget is about delivering on the Abbott Government’s commitment to build a strong and prosperous economy for a safe and secure Australia. That means a strong and capable Australian Defence Force (ADF). Against the backdrop of an extremely difficult Budget, the Government is committed to…

Minister for Defence - Minister congratulates crew of HMAS Darwin on drug haul

The Royal Australian Navy has intercepted a drug smuggling dhow off the coast of Somalia and seized 449 kilograms of heroin. Defence Minister David Johnston congratulated the crew of HMAS Darwin who performed the seizure, which had an estimated street value of $132 million. HMAS Darwin is on patrol…

Minister for Defence - Forgacs to provide a Landing Craft to Tonga

A contract worth almost $5 million between the Defence Materiel Organisation and Newcastle-based shipbuilder Forgacs Engineering Pty Ltd, for the manufacture of a 30 metre Landing Craft Medium, to be gifted to the Kingdom of Tonga by the Australian Government has been welcomed by the Minister for…

Minister for Defence - Budget 2014-15 – Defence Budget Overview

In Budget 2014-15, the Abbott Government has delivered on its promise of no further cuts to the Defence Budget and reaffirmed its commitment to growing the Defence budget to two per cent of GDP within a decade. This Budget is about building a strong and prosperous economy for a safe and secure…

Minister for Defence - Budget 2014-15 – Defence Capability

This Budget is about building a strong and prosperous economy for a safe and secure Australia, and that means a strong and capable Australian Defence Force (ADF). The 2014-15 Budget demonstrates that the Government is delivering on its election commitment to repair Labor’s reckless underinvestment…

Minister for Defence - Budget 2014-15 – Funding for Defence Operations

The Abbott Government is proud of the approximately 2,000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel deployed on operations to protect and promote Australia’s interests and values. The budget includes a total of $436.8 million in 2014-15 and $669.4 million across the Forward Estimates to continue…

Minister for Defence - Delivering on our commitments to build a stronger Australian Defence Force

The Abbott Government is delivering on its commitment to build a stronger Australian Defence Force (ADF). The Budget is part of the Government’s Economic Action Strategy to build a strong, prosperous economy and a safe, secure Australia. Restoring Defence Funding Providing for the defence of the…

Minister for Finance and Minister for Defence - New military superannuation scheme arrangements

The Abbott Government is introducing new modern military superannuation arrangements for people joining the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The new arrangements will allow ADF members to choose which superannuation fund they belong to and, for the first time, give those members the ability to…