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The inaugural Australian Defence Industry Accelerator Summit has launched in Canberra, with speakers and attendees noting the insightful and valuable nature of the event.
Held at the National Convention Centre in the nation’s capital, the summit set out to support defence industry leaders, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), government and defence representatives, and primes to explore the changing and dynamic nature of the defence landscape.
Defence Connect’s editor and lead, Stephen Kuper, said the event was a major success in providing attendees and businesses with the opportunity to explore insights and connect with one another to support Australia’s defence and national security environment.
He said the event was a way “to help the defence industry in Australia go to the next level”.
“Real, practical time has been spent on what it actually takes to break into and stay inside the supply chains of defence primes and enterprises, hearing candidly from the people who make those decisions.
“Australia’s future military and strategic edge will be decided as much in factories, labs and boardrooms as it will be on any exercise ground.
“The potential we’re here to unlock isn’t abstract.”
A range of speakers took to the mic, with major industry and government representatives coming back to the key point that the uncertainty of the geopolitical and security environment around the world is changing the landscape for the Australian defence industry.
This is a point that David Nockels, First Assistant Secretary, Defence Trade, Regulation, and AUKUS Advanced Capabilities from the Department of Defence, said in his keynote address.
“The businesses that succeed in the coming decade won’t be those with the best technology, it will be the ones who can demonstrate they are trusted partners who can protect secure information,” he said.
Nockels further explored the importance of trusted, secure collaboration within today’s geopolitical environment, and the wider role that SMEs and primes alike can play in supporting strategic goals and policies.
Commonwealth Bank’s chief economist, Luke Yeaman, added to this point in his address, specifically highlighting that closures in the Strait of Hormuz are continuing to emphasise the ease at which hostile defence environments can have immense effects on the region outside the conflict zone.
“It is easy to close down major economic chokepoints … We need capability to be able to counter these threats and keep the chokepoints open,” he said.
The summit also heard from Professor Tanya Monro, Chief Defence Scientist at the Department of Defence, who shared how advancement in automation and AI are reshaping defence operations and supply chains.
The first of its kind, Defence Connect’s Australian Defence Industry Accelerator Summit was marked by shared knowledge, expertise discussions and a critical opportunity for businesses and governments to intersect and collaborate in a shared environment.
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