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The Air Warfare Destroyer project has been removed from the Projects of Concern list following continuing improvements in shipbuilding performance. This major milestone is a result of the implementation of the Turnbull Government’s reform program. Following an independent review by Professor Don Winter and Dr John White and a review by the Australian National Audit Office, the project was placed on the Projects of Concern list in June 2014 due to increasing commercial, schedule and cost risks.

The Air Warfare Destroyer project has been removed from the Projects of Concern list following continuing improvements in shipbuilding performance. This major milestone is a result of the implementation of the Turnbull Government’s reform program. Following an independent review by Professor Don Winter and Dr John White and a review by the Australian National Audit Office, the project was placed on the Projects of Concern list in June 2014 due to increasing commercial, schedule and cost risks.

Airbus Australia Pacific (Airbus) has been awarded a two year contract extension to provide sustainment services through to 2024, including engineering, maintenance, and supply support for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) C-130J fleet.  Minister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, said the contract extension was granted after Airbus provided outstanding sustainment support to the C-130J fleet. “Airbus reduced sustainment costs by $10 million over the 2019 to 2024 period,” Minister Pyne said. 

The delivery of the final nine of Australia’s fleet of 72 F-35A Lightning II aircraft underscores the Albanese Government’s commitment to keeping Australia safe by ensuring the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has what it needs to defend our nation.

The Albanese Government has announced a $310 million payment for the acquisition of long‑lead items from the United Kingdom to support Australia’s future sovereign conventionally‑armed, nuclear‑powered submarine capability. Today’s announcement will directly support the manufacture of critical components for nuclear‑powered submarines which will be built at Osborne in South Australia, including the nuclear propulsion systems of Australia’s first two SSN-AUKUS. 

The Albanese Government has awarded a further 40 grants to support Australian businesses and back Australian jobs. These latest grants, totalling over $17.3 million, will deliver priority defence capabilities, support local manufacturing and strengthen Australia’s sovereign defence industry. Awarded under the $170 million Defence Industry Development Grants program, these grants will fund projects that enhance Australia’s defence manufacturing capabilities, export competitiveness and technical skills development. 

The Albanese Government is investing in local innovation and a future made in Australia by backing two Canberra companies to continue developing electronic warfare technology under a program set up to produce critical capabilities for all three AUKUS nations. The Government today announced Advanced Design Technology (ADT) and Penten had entered into contracts with the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), following successful participation in the first AUKUS Innovation Challenge.

The Albanese Government has further invested in local manufacturing and jobs, by securing local maintenance and support of diving and hyperbaric equipment for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) through a $100 million investment.

The build of 18 medium landing craft for the Army’s new littoral fleet is being accelerated, underscoring the Albanese Government’s commitment to keeping Australians safe and support for Australia’s sovereign defence industry. The $2 billion project - part of the Government’s record investment in Defence - is expected to create 1,100 direct jobs and more than 2,000 indirect jobs under a program that will also deliver heavy landing craft as well as amphibious vehicles.

The Albanese Government is taking steps to ensure Australia has one of the most advanced maritime patrol and response aircraft fleets in the world. The Government has approved the acquisition of a fourth MQ-4C Triton Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, and upgrades to the Air Force’s fleet of P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The estimated combined value of these decisions is over $1.5 billion.

The Albanese Government is investing approximately $24 million in key infrastructure upgrades to Robertson Barracks and Howard Springs South in Darwin.  Improving the ability of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to operate from Australia’s northern bases was a key priority identified by the Government in response to the Defence Strategic Review.

The Albanese Government is investing over $83 million to deliver vital Defence infrastructure upgrades at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.  Ensuring the Australian Defence Force has fit-for-purpose facilities and infrastructure is critical for its capability and preparedness.

The Albanese Government is building Australia’s future, providing a financial boost to two local companies to support the rapid development of technology to degrade integrated air and missile defence systems (IAMD) of potential adversaries. The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator’s (ASCA) Mission 1 has now moved to delivery phase which will see two local companies, based in Adelaide and Brisbane, continue to develop their IAMD technology to give the Australian Defence Force (ADF) a capability edge. 

The Albanese Government is continuing to back the defence industry, with the 2025 Australian Defence Export Catalogue featuring a record number of businesses showcasing their export-ready products. The flagship publication, which this year features 336 businesses, is a conduit for foreign governments to engage directly with the local defence industry, making it a vital source of opportunity for Australian companies to grow their exports.

The Albanese Government has selected a design by Damen Shipyards Group as the preferred option for the Australian Defence Force’s Landing Craft Heavy under a program that will bolster national defence by establishing a new littoral fleet. This announcement is a significant step in the establishment of a littoral fleet which is expected to create 1,100 direct jobs and more than 2,000 indirect jobs under the Albanese Government’s plan for continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia.

The Albanese Government is supporting almost 300 Australian industry jobs as part of a $130 million contract for the sustainment of naval capabilities critical to securing Australia’s sea lines of communication and maritime trade.

The Albanese Government is investing up to $2.12 billion in additional stocks of advanced medium-range missiles to strengthen the Australian Defence Force’s air defence and aerial strike capability.  These AIM-120D-3 and AIM-120C-8 missiles can precisely strike targets at extended range, providing a significant deterrence to potential adversaries. Enhancing the ADF’s strike capability is a key priority of the 2024 National Defence Strategy. 

There is no greater responsibility for the Albanese Labor Government than keeping Australians safe and securing our nation’s future during a time of global uncertainty.  As the Government announced last year, we are investing an additional $50.3 billion into the Australian Defence Force (ADF), which will now see an additional $10.6 billion invested over the forward estimates. The value of this investment is now $57.6 billion over the decade and is accounted for in the budget.

The Albanese Government is investing in critical infrastructure upgrades to support accommodation and facilities at Brisbane’s Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera. Over $11.2 million in upgrades will be invested into Gallipoli Barracks which is one of Australia's largest military bases and the headquarters of the 7th Brigade. 

The Albanese Government has signed a new four-year sustainment contract with ASC Pty Ltd, securing South Australia and Western Australia as the centres of excellence for the sustainment of the Collins class submarines.

The Albanese Government has awarded grants to more than 50 businesses across the country that provide priority defence capabilities with the funding supporting hundreds of jobs and a future made in Australia. The first rounds of the Defence Industry Development Grants program have been completed, with 58 grants worth $16.5 million awarded to Defence suppliers in four streams, including export, skilling, security and sovereign industrial priorities.

The Albanese Government will contribute up to $850 million in partnership with Kongsberg Defence Australia to manufacture and service missiles at Williamtown near Newcastle. The project, which involves construction of a factory in the Newcastle Airport precinct, is expected to generate more than 500 jobs in the construction phase and almost $100 million in economic benefits to the local area. Once complete, the factory is expected to employ approximately 100 people.

The Albanese Government will strengthen Australia’s maritime security with a $176 million investment to deliver 40 new Australian-designed and built Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels (USV) – one of the world’s largest sovereign USV fleets. Announced today, the contract with Ocius Technology expands Navy’s operational fleet to 55 Bluebottles, significantly boosting long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability across Australia’s vast maritime domain.

The Albanese Government has secured hundreds of highly skilled jobs while driving innovation in Australia’s local defence industry with the allocation of an additional $399 million for the ongoing development of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat. The MQ-28A Ghost Bat, known as a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), is being developed in cooperation with Boeing Defence Australia. It is the first military combat aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.

The Albanese Government is delivering two key air and missile defence capability projects, as it gets on with the job of implementing the recommendations of the Defence Strategic Review. The Review makes clear that an enhanced, all-domain integrated air and missile defence capability is critical in the face of Australia’s evolving strategic circumstances.

The Albanese Government is backing local innovation in quantum and counter disinformation technologies that are key to giving Defence an edge and which will also be critical to a future made in Australia. The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator’s (ASCA) Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDT) program has signed 21 contracts as part of an investment of over $60 million with Australian universities and industry partners. 

The Albanese Government is investing approximately $35 million in critical infrastructure to support Australia’s air and land combat capabilities in North Queensland’s Lavarack Barracks and RAAF Base Townsville. Improving the ability of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to operate from Australia’s northern bases was a key priority identified by the Government in response to the Defence Strategic Review.

The Albanese Government is investing $41.7 million in critical infrastructure upgrades to support accommodation and facilities at RAAF Base Tindal in Katherine, Northern Territory. One of Australia's most important strategic Defence sites, RAAF Base Tindal will receive key upgrades to live-in and working accommodation for Australian Defence Force (ADF) members.

Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel could be eligible for a $50,000 bonus payment for ongoing service, as part of the Albanese Labor Government’s commitment to investing in the growth and retention of a highly-skilled Defence workforce. One of the six immediate priority areas identified in response to the Defence Strategic Review is the need to both grow and retain our ADF personnel.

The Albanese Government has signed a four-year contract extension with James Fisher Defence (JFD) Australia, valued at over $90 million, to provide submarine escape and rescue services in support of the Collins class submarines. This contract underscores the Albanese Government’s commitment to backing local ingenuity and a future made in Australia, which is essential to supporting a critical workforce. It will directly support 46 jobs, primarily at Bibra Lake, south of Perth.