Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced the establishment of the Australian Military Sales Office.

The Australian Military Sales Office will be a one-stop-shop for Australian defence manufacturers seeking to export their products. As a priority, it will develop a system to allow the Australian Government to sell Australian made defence equipment directly to other Governments on behalf of Australian manufacturers.

It will also help Australian exporters showcase their products and capabilities at international defence exhibitions under the ‘Team Australia’ branding.

The purpose of the Australian Military Sales Office is to make it easier for Australian defence manufacturers to promote and export their products – and making it easier for other governments to buy them.

The Office has had immediate success by facilitating the sale of classified Australian made Counter IED technology to the United States.

The United States Government operates the Foreign Military Sales program, and the Governments of other countries such as Canada and Sweden operate similar programs. Australia has recently used the US Foreign Military Sales program to purchase important military capability like the C27-J battlefield airlift aircraft, the 24 Super Hornet fighter jets, the Romeo Naval Helicopters and the C-17 heavy lift aircraft.

Examples of sales opportunities the Australian Military Sales Office will pursue include:

• Advanced soldier protective equipment that has been developed for Australian troops operating in Afghanistan;

• The Phased Array Radar technology that has recently been installed on HMAS Perth and is being rolled out across the Anzac Frigate fleet; and

• Australian-built Army vehicles like the Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle produced in Bendigo.

The Australian Military Sales Office will begin operations immediately by incorporating the existing Defence Export Unit and the Defence Disposals Agency, and taking responsibility for the Global Supply Chain Program and our international materiel cooperation arrangements.

The Office will expand its export facilitation work over the next two years into the government to government sales arena. It will be funded from existing resources and based within the Defence Materiel Organisation.

All defence exports will continue to be subject to the existing Defence Exports Control regime, to ensure exports align with Australia’s national interests.

Media Contact:

Minister Smith’s Office – Sacha Fenton (02) 6277 7800; 0467 784 528

Minister Clare’s Office – Tim Quadrio (02) 6277 7620