Defence SA is the Government of South Australia's lead agency for all defence matters. It is Australia's only stand-alone state defence organisation. It is a single point of contact for all defence stakeholders, streamlining their interaction across the South Australian Government. Defence SA's mission is maximise investment and jobs from the Australian Defence Force and defence industries. Working closely with Defence and industry, Defence SA targets investment and expansion opportunities, drives and supports the delivery of major defence projects and facilities, and pursues the location of additional Defence units and capabilities in the state. Defence SA also plays a key role in supporting the Australian Government's strategic defence policy, particularly by increasing local industry participation and ensuring that state-of-the-art infrastructure and a highly skilled, industry-ready workforce is in place to underpin defence projects. [1]
In recognition of the strong contribution that defence makes to the state's economic prosperity, South Australia's Premier Steven Marshall is responsible for the Defence and Space Industries portfolio.
The stand-alone organisation, supported by the Defence SA Advisory Board Archived 2018-08-25 at the Wayback Machine , was formed on 1 September 2007 to build upon the work of the Defence Industry Advisory Board and the Port Adelaide Maritime Corporation (PAMC) to attract the $8 billion Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) [2] program to South Australia. Tasked with the role of creating a sustainable defence industry in South Australia, the agency's first task was to support the State Government's 2004 decision to underpin its bid for the AWD program by building a ship lift and Common User Facility (CUF) at Techport Australia. Following the Federal Government's decision in May 2005 to build the AWDs in SA, construction of the CUF started in 2007, before being completed and ready for first commercial use in 2010. [3]
Richard Price is Defence SA's Chief Executive and has worked within the defence and public safety sectors for over 25 years. He has international industry experience in leadership, business development and engineering. [4] He was preceded by Andy Keough, who served as CE of Defence SA from August 2015 to October 2017, [5] and Andrew Fletcher, who held the position since the agency's establishment in 2007 to 2014 [6]
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The Defence SA Advisory Board is a formidable line-up of Australia's top Defence and industry experts, led by Chairman and former Chief of Defence Force Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK AFC. The Board provides high-level strategic advice to promote the growth of the defence industry in South Australia and plays a key role in guiding the state's defence strategy.
Defence SA's key partners include: Department of Defence, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force, Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (formerly the Defence Materiel Organisation), Defence Science and Technology, Department for Industry and Skills, Department for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Immigration South Australia, Defence Teaming Centre (South Australia's peak defence industry association), Australian Aerospace Alliance, Industry Capability Network, AWD Alliance and Australian Made Defence. [7]
The Ministry of Defence is the department responsible for implementing the defence policy set by His Majesty's Government, and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces.
The Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) is part of the Australian Department of Defence which provides science and technology support to safeguard Australia and its national interests. The agency's name was changed from Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) on 1 July 2015. It is Australia's second largest government-funded science organisation after the CSIRO and its research outcomes have supported operations for over 100 years.
The Defence Strategic Policy and Intelligence Group (SP&I) of the Australian Government Department of Defence is responsible for defence diplomacy, strategic policy, international security, and military intelligence co-ordination and advice to the Prime Minister of Australia, Minister for Defence, Secretary of the Department of Defence, and Chief of the Defence Force. The Defence Strategic Policy and Intelligence Group is led by the Deputy Secretary for Strategic Policy and Intelligence and comprises three policy divisions and two intelligence agencies.
The Hobart class is a ship class of three air warfare destroyers (AWDs) built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Planning for ships to replace the Adelaide-class frigates and restore the capability last exhibited by the Perth-class destroyers began by 2000, initially under acquisition project SEA 1400, which was re-designated SEA 4000. Although the designation "Air Warfare Destroyer" is used to describe ships dedicated to the defence of a naval force from aircraft and missile attack, the planned Australian destroyers are expected to also operate in anti-surface, anti-submarine, and naval gunfire support roles.
The United Kingdom's Strategic Command (StratCom), previously known as Joint Forces Command (JFC), manages allocated joint capabilities from the three armed services.
The Australian Intelligence Community (AIC) and the National Intelligence Community (NIC) or National Security Community of the Australian Government are the collectives of statutory intelligence agencies, policy departments, and other government agencies concerned with protecting and advancing the national security and national interests of the Commonwealth of Australia. The intelligence and security agencies of the Australian Government have evolved since the Second World War and the Cold War and saw transformation and expansion during the Global War on Terrorism with military deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq and against ISIS in Syria. Key international and national security issues for the Australian Intelligence Community include terrorism and violent extremism, cybersecurity, transnational crime, the rise of China, and Pacific regional security.
ASC Pty Ltd, formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation, is an Australian government business enterprise involved with Australian naval shipbuilding, headquartered in Osborne, South Australia. It is notable for the construction and maintenance of the Collins-class submarine fleet operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the construction of three Hobart-class destroyers for the RAN with the first delivered in mid-2017.
The Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) is an organisation within the Australian Department of Defence, responsible for acquisition, supply chain management, and sustainment of military equipment and materiel including aircraft, ships, vehicles, electronic systems, weapons, ordnance, uniforms and rations for the Australian Defence Force. CASG employs more than 7000 military, civilian and contracted staff in more than 70 locations around Australia and internationally.
The Australian Defence Organisation (ADO), also known as simply Defence, is an Australian Government organisation that consists of both the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Department of Defence (DoD). The ADO's collective aims are to "defend Australia and its national interests" and "protect and advance Australia's strategic interests".
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) is a trading entity and joint-defence organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence. It began operating on 2 April 2007, following the merger of the MoD's Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation, under the Chief Executive Officer of Defence Equipment and Support.
The Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) is composed of the armed forces of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and the Australian Public Service government department, the Department of Defence which is composed of a range of civilian support organisations.
Ombudsmen in Australia are independent agencies who assist when a dispute arises between individuals and industry bodies or government agencies. Government ombudsman services are free to the public, like many other ombudsman and dispute resolution services, and are a means of resolving disputes outside of the court systems. Australia has an ombudsman assigned for each state; as well as an ombudsman for the Commonwealth of Australia. As laws differ between states just one process, or policy, cannot be used across the Commonwealth. All government bodies are within the jurisdiction of the ombudsman.
HMAS Hobart, named after the city of Hobart, Tasmania, is the lead ship of the Hobart-class air warfare destroyers used by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship, based on the Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate designed by Navantia, was built at ASC's shipyard in Osborne, South Australia from modules fabricated by ASC, BAE Systems Australia in Victoria, and Forgacs Group in New South Wales. Hobart was ordered in 2007, but errors and delays in construction caused extensive schedule slippage. Despite commissioning initially planned for December 2014, the ship was not laid down until September 2012, and launched in May 2015. The Department of Defence accepted delivery of HMAS Hobart on 16 June 2017. The ship was commissioned on 23 September 2017.
The Directorate of Army Research and Analysis (DARA) is a branch of the Australian Army Headquarters and serves as the Army’s think tank. DARA is part of the Army's Modernisation and Strategic Plans division, and is located in Russell Offices, Canberra. DARA provides research and analysis to the Australian Army and Government to support the Army’s modernisation and strategic planning. DARA also promotes professional debate on topics such as the changing character of land warfare and Australia’s strategic environment.
The Defence SA Advisory Board provides high-level strategic and policy advice to the Government of South Australia "to promote the growth of Defence and defence industries in accordance with South Australia’s Strategic Plan." Air Chief Marshal Sir Angas Houston AK AFC was appointed to chair the board in 2014, replacing General Peter Cosgrove AC MC in the position. The board was established in 2007 and meets six times a year. The board was preceded by the Defence Industry Advisory Board (DIAB), which was established in 2003.
Andrew Vernon Fletcher is a South Australian engineer and defence industry businessman, best known for his role as chief executive officer of Defence SA. In May 2015 he was appointed CEO of Rheinmetall Defence Australia.
The Hunter-class frigate is a future class of heavy frigates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to replace the Anzac class. Construction was expected to begin in 2023, with the first of nine vessels to enter service in 2031.
The Chief of Joint Capabilities (CJC) is the head of the Joint Capabilities Group (JCG) in the Australian Department of Defence, part of the Australian Defence Organisation. This position was created on 1 July 2017. The current chief is Lieutenant General John Frewen, who was appointed to the position in September 2021.