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More information has been released about the newly consolidated Defence Delivery Agency, detailed under the government’s multibillion-dollar 2026 National Defence Strategy and a revamped Integrated Investment Program.
The Defence Delivery Agency (DDA) implementation plan contains two phases, with the consolidation of the capability development functions under the vice chief of the Defence Force and the three delivery groups (Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group and Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Group) into a Defence Delivery Group by 1 July this year.
The DDA will commence from July 2027 and be led by the national armaments director, who will report directly to ministers. The national armaments director will play a crucial role in providing advice to the government on acquisition strategies and delivery of acquisition and sustainment projects.
The DDA will have control over its budget to enable coordinated and holistic delivery of defence capability and improve Australia’s ability to maintain its sovereign defence industrial base.
“We need to see value for money … It’s not the amount, it’s the quality of the spend,” Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said.
“We do want to see a cultural change here, we want to see cost assurance.
“We want to build a cohort of those working around the delivery of large projects.”
In wider 2026 National Defence Strategy news, the government is committing $425 billion over the next decade to overhaul the Australian Defence Force. To get there, the government is injecting an extra $14 billion over the next four years and $53 billion over the decade. This funding surge will see Australia’s Defence spending climb to 3 per cent of gross domestic product by 2033.
Robert Dougherty
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