The Australian Government is turbocharging export opportunities for the Australian defence industry through a significant expansion of the Global Supply Chain (GSC) Program, highlighting its commitment to supporting local companies and jobs.
In a media release, the government said the number of major defence companies, known as primes, participating in the GSC Program will almost double from seven to 13.
According to the government. this expansion fulfils a commitment made in the landmark Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS), released in February this year.
The DIDS emphasised the importance of the GSC Program and the need to increase the number of participants to boost scale, competitiveness, and sustainability.
“The Albanese Government is proud to be continuing and expanding the GSC Program as a way of supporting Australian businesses to grow and in turn create jobs for locals,” said Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy.
The GSC Program supports Australian businesses by integrating them into global supply chains, diversifying their revenue streams, driving economies of scale, and building resilience through exports.
Since its inception, the program has delivered 2,450 contracts worth over $1.9 billion to 258 Australian suppliers.
“Expanding the program will provide Australian businesses with greater access to the broader export markets, and will increase opportunities to integrate into the international supply chains of the GSC Program partners,” Conroy added.
The DIDS also outlined the defence industrial base Australia needs, the growth strategy, and, for the first time, the strategic rationale for a sovereign defence industrial base and its paramount importance to Australia’s national security.
After conducting an extensive market approach, the number of major defence companies, known as primes, participating in the program has increased from seven to 13.
The successful companies include Babcock, BAE Systems, Boeing, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Kongsberg, L3 Harris, Lockheed Martin, Moog, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Rheinmetall, SAAB, and Thales.
The GSC Program has also updated its performance framework to include several key elements: a plan to promote the scaling and growth of Australian businesses, an expanded scope of exports that considers the continuum between domestic and international projects, the identification of opportunities for Australian innovation early in the development cycle, and performance metrics to allow Defence to measure the success of both the primes and the program.
“The Albanese Government understands just how important the growth and sustainability of the Australian defence industry is to meet our strategic needs and to also contribute to a future made in Australia,” Conroy concluded.
