The Australian Government has announced that its Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC) will be headquartered in Adelaide.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said an innovative and competitive Australian defence industry is critical to support the delivery of major capability projects, including the Future Frigates and Future Submarines.
"This is a very exciting time for Australian defence industries because they are at the cutting edge of innovation," he said.
"If you put your faith and your dollars behind Australian innovation, as we are doing, if you commit to that, if you commit to that for the long term as we have in the Defence White Paper, then you’ll drive the jobs, you’ll drive the innovation, you’ll drive the prosperity and the security which we deserve and our people expect in the 21st century."
The CDIC represents a 10-year, $230 million investment that will bring together the private sector, Defence and AusIndustry to transform the relationship between Defence and industry.
It will work with small-to-medium enterprises across Australia to promote defence industry competitiveness and guide the priorities across defence industry. The Centre will also offer a range of advisory services including mentoring, defence market access, export facilitation and global supply chain development.
Speaking at Fugro LADS in western Adelaide, the Prime Minister said the company's Laser Airborne Depth Sounder was developed in Australia for Australian naval purposes and is now exported right around the world.
"We've just seen how this technology is examining and mapping the seabed off Samoa; in the Gulf of Arabia. This is a great story," the Prime Minister said.
"This is the exciting future of the 21st century economy that awaits Australians if we continue to successfully transition from traditional manufacturing, from a mining construction boom, to the technology-based innovation-based businesses, applications, industries of the future."
He said the CDIC will be led by an advisory board comprising senior members of industry and Defence, and will commence operations in the second half of this year.
A computer generated image of the proposed Air Warfare Destroyer to be built in Adelaide, Melbourne and Newcastle. Image: Department of Defence