Defence
South Australia is rightly referred to as Australia’s Defence State.
We are the high-tech centre of Australia’s defence industry and home to the national and regional headquarters of some of the world’s leading defence companies.
Track record
With a proud history of delivering world-class defence projects, South Australia has recently secured billions of dollars in defence and security contracts.
We are on track to achieve the defence targets embedded in South Australia’s Strategic Plan to increase defence and defence industry annual contribution to our economy to $2.5 billion and employment to 37 000 people by 2020.
With less than eight percent of the nation’s population, South Australia is home to around 30 percent of Australia’s entire defence manufacturing capacity.
Current projects
These wins are in no small part due to our highly skilled workforce and state-of-the-art infrastructure, combined with our strong commitment to the defence industry.
Current projects include:
- the $8 billion Air Warfare Destroyer build contract and AWD Systems Centre
- the 1,100 personnel 7RAR Battle Group, to be relocated to Edinburgh from late 2010
(relocation has commenced with 600 members already operating out of the facility) - the multi-billion 25-year through-life support contract for Collins class submarines
- the $1 billion AP-3C Orion aircraft maintenance and upgrade contract and
- the $1 billion Customs Project Sentinel contract – the world’s largest fixed-wing civil maritime surveillance program.
Precincts
The state’s three defence precincts – Technology Park Adelaide, Edinburgh Parks and Techport Australia – provide collaboration and networking opportunities for industry.
Content updated 10 Jan 2013
