Australia’s new defence industry strategy targets development, procurement and exports
Ghost Shark large AUV has been added to the Australian government’s export list. (Photo: Australian Department of Defence)
The Australian government is investing in weapons and missile manufacture and shipbuilding as part of a long-term plan that involves restructuring procurement and export systems under its 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy.
The Australian government is relaunching its Defence Export Facility, creating a Defence Delivery Agency and adding the Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to the priority export list under its 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS).
The strategy builds on the government’s 2026 National Defence Strategy (NDS) and Integrated investment Program which was released in April.
Launched on 2 July, the DIDS is described by the government as “strengthening Australia’s sovereign defence industrial base and boost self-reliance”.
The government outlined it was “reforming and relaunching the US$3 billion Defence Export Facility, which has been underutilised since its establishment in 2018, making
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