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Enabling Members to do Better Business in Defence
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Welcome to the ADA Defence update for this week!
Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Pilot Program Supporting
Australian Businesses
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More local Australian businesses will have the opportunity to build our nation’s defence future, as the Government continues to expand opportunities for industry to support AUKUS through a new Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Pilot.
HII Australia has been awarded a contract to deliver the Pilot program over the next two years, with an initial value of $9.6 million and the option to extend based on achievement. HII is the largest military shipbuilder in the United States and one of two companies that builds United States nuclear-powered submarines.
The Pilot program will accelerate the identification and qualification of Australian suppliers and products into the United States submarine industrial base.
It will be delivered in partnership with H&B Defence – a HII and Babcock joint venture.
Importantly, HII will identify and work with Australian small and medium-sized enterprises, including those not currently part of Australia’s submarine industrial base, which is critical to growing our sovereign defence industrial capability over the years and decades ahead.
Together, these companies bring decades of nuclear-powered submarine vendor qualification experience to Australia and will connect Australian businesses directly with international primes who have a real and present need for their supplies.
The Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Pilot will engage with Australian companies nationwide, building on the success of the recent partnership of HII Australia with both the South Australian Government and the Western Australian Government, and complements the Australian Government’s existing Defence Industry Vendor Qualification (DIVQ) Program.
The Government is committed to helping Australian businesses – including those who do not currently work in our defence industry – tap into and compete for new opportunities in this multi-decade, multi-billion dollar endeavour, and in support of the AUKUS partners’ submarine programs.
Read full press release >
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Opportunities for SMEs in the defence industry will continue to grow and we are here to help and advocate for our members.
We would also like to hear from you if you have any news or stories about your business that may be of interest to other businesses and organisations.
We look forward to hearing from you.
mailto:info@australiandefencealliance.org.au
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How to Maximise Opportunities at
Avalon Airshow 2025 Webinar
REGISTER NOW!
The Australian Defence Alliance (ADA) will be hosting a webinar next Wednesday 12th March from midday to 1pm on “How to maximise opportunities at Avalon Airshow 2025”.
The webinar will have input from ADA, our training partner 25eight and the Office of Industry Support (ODIS). With Avalon at the end of the month, this is a not to be missed webinar.
The presentation will cover the following:
1. An overview of what to expect at Avalon
2. Who attends Avalon and Why
3. What occurs at the Trade show
4. Dos and Don’ts at the Trade Show
5. Optimising your Quad Chart
Numbers are limited and this is for ADA members only.
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Australia’s AUKUS Submarine Industry Strategy Launched
The Government has, this week, launched Australia’s AUKUS Submarine Industry Strategy, providing greater clarity to industry to grow and enter AUKUS supply chains. The Strategy outlines the prioritisation framework that will give businesses in Australia the confidence to invest in their own technical capabilities, personnel and facilities.
The Strategy is underpinned by the Albanese Government’s investment of $262 million to support local defence industry uplift as part of Australia’s AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine program announced earlier this year.
AUKUS will create around 20,000 direct jobs over the next 30 years across industry and government, including:
- Between 4,000 – 5,500 roles to support the build of our conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines in South Australia;
- Up to 4,000 workers to design and build the infrastructure for the submarine construction yard in Osborne; and
- Around 3,000 direct jobs over the decade to
support the expansion of HMAS Stirling in Western Australia
- Around 3,000 direct jobs to support contingency and depot-level maintenance on our future submarines at the Defence Precinct at Henderson when established.
The Strategy sets out five critical lines of effort to boost Australian industry uplift:
- Creating demand clarity for industry;
- Boosting investment attractiveness in critical areas;
- Simplifying regulation;
- Growing the skilled workforce;
and
- Integrating Australian industry into US and UK supply chains.
The Government is committed to growing the capabilities, capacity and resilience of businesses — particularly small and medium-sized enterprises — across Australia.
Australia’s AUKUS Submarine Industry Strategy can be found here.
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$480 Million Investment in Shipbuilding Submarine Construction Workforce
The Government is investing $480 million in our naval shipbuilding and submarine construction workforce with the build of the Skills and Training Academy at Osborne in South Australia.
Ground works have now commenced at the site for the Skills and Training Academy Campus, which will be designed and delivered by Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI). Kellogg, Brown and Root, and Architectus have been engaged as design partners.
The design and build will also be supported by Australia’s Sovereign Submarine Build Partners, BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd, to draw on the deep experience of our partners, ensuring training aligns with industry requirements.
The Skills and Training Academy Campus is a core pillar of the Government’s uplift of Australian infrastructure and industry through AUKUS, which will see $30 billion worth of investment over the coming decades, supporting thousands of well-paid, high skilled jobs.
At its peak, up to 4,000 Australian workers will be employed to design and build the infrastructure for the submarine construction yard at Osborne. A further 4,000‑5,500 direct jobs will be created to build Australia’s conventionally-armed, nuclear‑powered submarines when the program reaches its peak – almost double the workforce forecast for the Attack class program.
The design of the Skills and Training Academy Campus will simulate the submarine construction yard, providing hands‑on skills and classroom-based learning. The facility will include trade workshops, state of the art classrooms and a large central submarine mock-up area.
The courses and skills will also support the workforce required to deliver the Hunter class frigate, which will sustain at least 2,000 jobs and create at least 500 new jobs over the next decade.
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$313.5 million Maintenance Contract with Sikorsky Australia
The Government secured the future of MH-60R Seahawk helicopter fleet, ensuring this critical capability remains mission ready, with a $313.5 million maintenance contract that will support local businesses and jobs.
The contract with Sikorsky Australia, a Lockheed Martin company, will create 75 jobs, including 20 apprenticeships, and support another 200 highly skilled, well-paid jobs at the company’s maintenance and logistics facility in Nowra.
Sikorsky Australia will provide through-life support services for the MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and deliver services essential to maintaining the readiness and availability of this capability.
The funding also secures the Nowra facility’s future as a potential maintenance hub that could be used by the United States Navy for
repair, overhaul and upgrade support, enhancing supply chain resilience in the Indo-Pacific region.
MH-60R Seahawk helicopters perform a range of essential tasks, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, vertical replenishment, passenger and cargo transfer, and search and rescue missions.
The ADF currently operates 23 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, based out of Nowra, New South Wales. An additional 13 aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2026.
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AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code - Steel, 2 day Course Melbourne
30 Apr-1 May 2025
Weld Australia will be holding a 2 day AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code – Steel course in Melbourne on 30 April & 01 May, presented in person by international expert Cristian Zanfir.
This specialised course explores the requirements for AWS D1.1 compliance, covering key topics such as: certification for welding contractors, inspectors, and procedures; visual welding inspection techniques, and pre-qualification and qualification of welding procedures. Additionally, the course will also highlight changes that will come in the new D1.1:2025 edition later this year.
The presenter is Cristian Zanfir (Manager of Standards, Office of Public Safety, CWB Group) and his key role is contributing to the development of standards within many committees of the AWS, ASME, CSA and ISO organisations; and he has extensive specialised experience in the requirements of the D1.1 code.
Registrations are now open, click HERE to register.
What: AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code – Steel two day in-person course
Presenter: International expert, Cristian Zanfir
When: Wednesday to Thursday, 30 April -1May 2025
Where: Venue tba, Melbourne CBD
Timing: 8am registration day one, 8.30am-5pm; morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea is provided
Cost: Weld Australia Members $2450 inc GST; non-members $2650 inc GST
Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and professional network, ask questions and clarify learning in-person, and benefit from Cristian Zanfir’s expertise.
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| In Case You Missed These Announcements!
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Are you a business undertaking work on behalf of Defence, or other entity planning to work with Defence in the future?
The Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) supports Australian entities to understand and meet their security obligations when engaging in Defence tenders, contracts and projects, as well as providing other information to help get businesses ‘Defence Ready’.
DISP membership applies to companies working directly for Defence, or as part of a larger supply chain.
Learn more about the program, or meet the DISP team in-person at the upcoming Avalon Air Show this March. DISP and the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) will have staff on hand at the event to answer any questions.
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AUKUS Licence Free Environment
Under the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Act 2024 (DTC Amendment Act), Australia has established a licence-free environment to promote strategic collaborations with our Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) partners.
The licence-free environment exempts certain Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) goods technology, services from permit requirements when transferring between Australia, the United States and/or the United Kingdom.
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The JOSCAR-AU system was established following an initiative led by a growing number of prime contractors as registered buyers together with the Commonwealth Government.
JOSCAR-AU is a cross-sector collaborative solution that reduces the time, cost, resources and duplication currently needed to provide information to major prime customers. Holding common supplier information in a central system, the JOSCAR-AU accreditation system allows information to be accessed by all participating buying organisations.
JOSCAR-AU is designed to make the process of pre-qualification or accreditation as efficient as possible – saving your company a significant amount of the time, effort and cost associated with working for multiple clients.
Hellios enables more effective compliance with client requirements for business through a single process. Your initial registration will determine the level of pre-qualification or accreditation that your clients require, based on an automated risk profile.
Expert advice is provided throughout the process to guide you including identifying potential business improvement opportunities that may increase your competitive advantage.
Registration on JOSCAR-AU is either by invitation from your registered JOSCAR-AU buyer or via self
nomination. If your buyer has asked you to complete the JOSCAR-AU questionnaire, they will contact Hellios directly on your behalf. Hellios will then process this request and send a link to the questionnaire for you to complete. If you would like to self nominate, please reach out at joscar@hellios.com.au.
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BAESA/GAP Industry Training: Estimating For Defence
BAE Systems Australia and the Global Access Program are pleased to once again offer Estimating & Pricing Industry Training during 2024.
Delivering competitive and defendable proposals for Defence requires a variety of estimating techniques to build robust, credible and defendable Basis of Estimates. Learn how to challenge your cost base, supplier quotes, estimates and price, and submit a compliant proposal that meets customer requirements, represents value for money, and can survive a cost investigation.
Estimating For Defence is a two day course developed by Estimating & Pricing (E&P) at BAE Systems Australia, and delivered in partnership with the Global Access Program (GAP).
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Open to Industry partners Based in Australia, Canada, and the UK
The Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) aims to coalesce and expand the defense industrial base (DIB) in support of the Manufacturing, Capability Expansion, and Investment Prioritization Directorate (MCEIP) critical sectors and additional areas of interest. To align with the recent modification to the definition of Domestic Source for Title III of the Defense Production Act, and in keeping with the MCEIP vision of delivering a resilient U.S. supply chain and workforce able to respond in times of national security crisis, DIBC is excited to announce that we are opening membership to Industry partners in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. This increased level of collaboration will aid the DIBC in achieving MCEIP’s
mission and vision.
The application to become a DIBC member can be found here. International members will need to apply for a NCAGE Code and UEI prior to joining DIBC. To apply for a NCAGE code, each organization will need to register at https://sam.gov/. Instructions on how to register can be found here.
If you have questions about the application process, please feel free to reach out to dibconsortium@ati.org.
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Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has announced a $20 million investment to provide small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with greater access to vital research and development (R&D) opportunities to accelerate their growth.
The funding will allow CSIRO’s SME Connect team to support up to 750 SMEs through a range of programs and initiatives that provide facilitation, training, dollar-matched funding and support to start-ups and SMEs seeking to engage in company-led research projects.
One of the programs being supported is SME Connects flagship program, CSIRO Kick-Start. Since its inception in 2017, the Kick-Start program has facilitated over 280 company-led R&D
projects, with alumni companies collectively holding a market value exceeding $2 billion.
Dr Doug Hilton, CSIRO’s Chief Executive, emphasised the significance of this investment and the transformative impact it would have for Australia’s critical SME sector.
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The Victorian Land Systems Fund – Supply Chain Uplift Program will support Victorian defence industry businesses to work with Hanwha Defense Australia (Hanwha) as part of its supply chain. The program will help build
businesses’ capabilities so they can help Hanwha deliver the Commonwealth Government’s $1 billion Land 8116 Self-Propelled Howitzer program.
Funding will support eligible Victorian businesses to:
- gain relevant accreditations and meet industry specific compliance requirements
- prepare tenders
- undertake minor facilities upgrades and equipment fit outs
- develop new or enhance current defence products or services
- undertake defence R&D
- participate in trade missions to pursue collaboration and export opportunities.
Businesses must engage with Hanwha and receive its support before applying.
Applications to the Victorian Land Systems Fund Supply Chain Uplift Program are now open and close on 30 June 2024 or until funds have been exhausted.
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Defence Industry Development Grants Program
The Defence Industry Development Grants Program (the program) will award grants over four years from 2024-25 to 2027-28. The program was announced as part of the Defence Industry Development Strategy.
The objective of the program is to build the industrial base Australia needs to achieve Defence outcomes in areas of strategic priority.
The Defence Industry Development Grants Program funds four distinct grant opportunity streams tailored to address the program outcomes:
- Sovereign Industrial Priorities
- Skilling
- Exports
- Security.
These four grants opportunities will be assessed in batches. We will regularly update the closing dates for each batch on this page. You can apply at any time.
All projects are due to be completed by 31 Mar 2028.
About the streams
The Sovereign Industrial Priorities stream will assist eligible small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to purchase manufacturing plant and equipment which is used directly to develop and/or deliver programs that are in line with the Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities (SDIPs) described in the Defence Industry Development Strategy.
The Skilling stream helps Australian defence industry to upskill and train in priority trade, technical and professional skillsets to develop a workforce with the right mix of qualified and experienced personnel to meet Defence requirements. The program will enhance the capacity and capability of Australian defence industry workforce to deliver SDIPs described in the Defence Industry Development Strategy.
The Exports stream provides support for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to overcome export barriers and help defence industry build scale and competitiveness in defence capability priority areas as identified by the SDIPs described in the Defence Industry Development Strategy.
The Security stream helps Australian defence industry improve and maintain security in priority areas as identified by the SDIPs and in line with the Defence Industry Security Program.
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Industry Growth Program - Support for Innovative SMEs to Commercialise and Grow their Business
The program supports innovative small and medium enterprises undertaking commercialisation and/or growth projects within the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas through advisory services and opportunities for matched grant funding. Minor changes or improvements to existing products or services are not considered innovative.
You will be connected to an Industry Growth Program Adviser who will provide tailored advice to support your commercialisation and/or growth project.
Once you have received this advice, you may also be able to apply for:
- grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to support early-stage commercialisation projects
- grants of $100,000 to $5 million for commercialisation and growth projects.
More info >
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Australian Space Industry Capability Database
The Australian Space Industry Capability database will open for industry submissions from mid-July. Companies can upload information on their:
• Location
• Capability
• Workforce
The database has been developed by SIAA and is supported by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the Australian Space Agency, the Office of Defence Industry Support and SmartSat CRC.
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Australia Partner Network
Leidos Australia is focused on working with Australian Industry for delivery of all of our projects. We know the importance of supporting the growth of sovereign capability and would like to work with more Australian businesses at all stages of our delivery lifecycle.
We encourage Australian companies, who are interested in working with us on the opportunities identified above or on other business requirements as they arise, to complete the following registration form.
In your submission, you should highlight your experience with any relevant Defence, Intelligence, ICT and cyber capabilities and technologies. Our team will then be in touch to identify potential next steps.
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ODIS provides a range of grants to support defence industry businesses. These grants help Australian small and medium enterprises grow to meet Defence capability needs and join global defence industry supply chains.
The ODIS Defence Business Readiness Tool (DBRT) is a platform used by our Industry Engagement Team to assess the Defence Readiness of Australian Small and Medium Enterprises. The DBRT is the first step in the journey to becoming a supplier to Defence.
To use this secure tool you must have an account. You can either sign in with an existing account or create a new one. You will need to provide your Australian Business Number (ABN) when registering your account. Get Defence Ready with DBRT 2.0 and unlock the true potential of your SME within the Defence industry!
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AusTender provides centralised publication of Australian Government business opportunities, annual procurement plans and contracts awarded.
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Grants and Programs Finder
If you’re doing business in Australia, this guided search will help you find grants, funding and support programs from across government.
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Here is a link to the ICN Gateway where you will find major Government and Defence work packages
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Is your business looking to sell to the Australian Government? The newly updated Selling to Government website has all the information and support you need to get involved in government procurement and contracting opportunities. Find out more > |
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| Domestic Event & Exhibitions
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Australian Defence Alliance Victoria Inc.
570 Bourke Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Australia
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