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Australia’s most anticipated defence industry night of the year just got closer, and the field has never been stronger.
Defence Connect is proud to reveal that 225 finalists have been selected from more than 300 submissions for the Australian Defence Industry Awards 2026. Now in its eighth year, the program remains the benchmark for excellence across the nation’s defence sector, recognising the people and businesses driving Australia’s strategic edge.
The full list of finalists is available here.
Across 29 categories – eight individual and 21 group – the breadth of talent on display is extraordinary. Innovators, engineers, academics, rising stars and consultants headline the individual categories, while cyber businesses, naval programs, space ventures and veteran support organisations compete in the group categories.
The highest-scoring individual finalist will be awarded the prestigious Excellence Award on the night.
Steve Kuper, Lead - Defence & Aerospace at Momentum Media said: “Every year we wonder if the standard can get any higher, and every year the Australian defence industry proves it can. The calibre of this year’s submissions is a genuine reflection of how far this sector has come, and how seriously our people and businesses take the pursuit of excellence.”
This isn’t an awards program for platforms and products. It’s for the people and organisations building Australia’s defence capability from the ground up: primes and SMEs, research institutions and start-ups, Indigenous and female leaders, students, scientists and technicians alike.
Finalists were assessed against a rigorous methodology developed with a panel of leading defence professionals evaluating growth, innovation, leadership, diversity, business excellence and contribution to Australia’s defence sector.
“Australia’s strategic environment has never been more demanding, and these finalists represent our answer to that challenge. This isn’t just an awards night, it’s a statement about what this industry is capable of,” Kuper added.
This year’s awards night will be held at the National Convention Centre Canberra on Thursday, 16 July 2026.
Winners will be revealed at a black tie and military mess dress gala ceremony at the National Convention Centre Canberra, the sector’s most anticipated evening of the year.
Kuper said: “Behind every submission is a team that went above and beyond, people who gave everything to a mission bigger than themselves. Announcing these finalists is genuinely one of the highlights of our year.”
You can buy tickets here. To see the full list of finalists, click here.
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