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In an address to the Queensland Media Club, Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy has reinforced the growing impact and role of the Sunshine State in Australia’s national defence industry ecosystem, with more milestones to come.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy has highlighted Queensland’s central role in Australia’s defence capability push, unveiling billions of dollars in investment and new programs designed to accelerate the delivery of cutting-edge technologies to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Speaking in Brisbane, Minister Conroy pointed to the state’s long-standing contribution to national security, from the First World War to today’s high-tech defence industrial base.
That role was showcased during last month’s Exercise Talisman Sabre 25, the largest in history which brought together 19 nations, 43,000 personnel, 32 ships and 297 aircraft. It featured the first firing of the Precision Strike Missile on Australian soil, delivered two years ahead of schedule.
“This was another example of the Albanese government accelerating long-range strike capabilities for the ADF,” Minister Conroy said, noting the success follows tests of the Tomahawk, Standard Missile 6 and Naval Strike Missile in the past year.
A major focus of the address was the rapid evolution of drone and counter-drone systems. Minister Conroy confirmed that more than $10 billion has been allocated over the decade for uncrewed technologies, including $1.3 billion for counter-drone capabilities under Project LAND 156.
As part of this, contracts worth nearly $39 million have already been awarded to 20 vendors, 14 of them Australian. Local firms are also playing a key role. Queensland companies AMSL Aero, Grabba Technologies and Boresight recently delivered 300 general-purpose drones to the Army, following contracts awarded only last year.
Minister Conroy described the project as a benchmark for “speed to capability”, stressing the importance of small and medium enterprises as incubators of innovation.
The minister also pointed to Australia’s world-leading work on the MQ-28A Ghost Bat, the first military aircraft designed and built domestically in over half a century. The drone has logged more than 20,000 hours of digital twin testing, 119 sorties and 146 flight hours.
Plans are underway for air-to-air weapons tests, with 70 per cent of the program delivered by Australian industry and more than 200 companies already involved. If taken to full production, the Ghost Bat would be manufactured in Queensland.
Queensland’s defence industry already contributes over $1.2 billion annually to the national economy and is growing steadily. Export successes like GaardTech are being bolstered by the new AUKUS licence-free environment, which removes red tape for trade with the US and the UK. More than 60 Queensland companies are already participating, with $91 million in licence-free exports recorded.
Minister Conroy also outlined major investments in critical northern bases. These include $200 million each for HMAS Cairns and for upgrades at Lavarack and Gallipoli Barracks, plus $700 million at RAAF Townsville to support the arrival of AH-64E Apache helicopters.
Townsville will become Australia’s largest Defence helicopter hub, supporting over 240 new jobs across the state, while Oakey will host elements of the Black Hawk fleet with $9 million in upgrades and more than 70 new industry roles.
The minister emphasised the government’s commitment to building a sovereign industrial base and future workforce, with targets for apprentices, trainees and women in Defence projects.
“Queensland’s defence industry is critical to Australia’s security,” Minister Conroy said. “This is about a Defence future made in Australia, by Australians.”
