Australian Defence Information and Electronic Systems Association (ADIESA)
Media Release - Defence Strategic Review
The Australian Defence Information and Electronic Systems Association (ADIESA) congratulates the Government, the Department of Defence and the authors of the Defence Strategic Review (the Review) for the evident thoroughness in formulating the arguments from which the recommendations of the Review flow. The Review makes plain points of vital interest to ADIESA and its Defence Industry members:
The critical role of data and state-of-the-art information systems in National Defence. The Review acknowledges information and communications technology (ICT) is critical to Defence and modern warfighting capability as it underpins preparedness and is critical to reliance measures. Force Design must focus on crucial future-focused joint capabilities such as information warfare, cyber capabilities, electronic warfare, and guided weapons. And the resulting design and investment priorities necessary across all five Domains to realise the strategy of denial in Australia’s northern approaches which depend upon the full extent of information and electronic systems; including: ISR, targeting, integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) command and control, space communications, C4 architectures, and Cyber. ADIESA supports initiatives such as Defence adopting an open architecture approach in both hardware and software to reduce integration complexity and costs, and break down barriers for Australian industry participation.
The vital importance of Defence Industry to a whole-of-government approach to National Defence. Industry was elevated to the status of a Fundamental Input to Capability (FIC) in the 2016 Defence White paper. Defence Industry strengthens resilience and affords a measure of self-reliance that is vital to Australia’s security, given our geography and the vulnerabilities associated with being an island nation. ADIESA welcomes the introduction of the biennial National Defence Strategy which will provide clarity of process and approach to Defence and defence industry. We acknowledge the strategic risk driven, pragmatic approach to Australian industry content and domestic production which must be balanced against timely capability acquisition. ADIESA is positioned to support lifting the capacity to rapidly translate disruptive new technologies into ADF capability, in close partnership with Australian industry.
Streamlining the capability acquisition cycle. Increasing acquisition tempo will result in requirements being more current when the capability is introduced and cost efficiencies. Reducing the complexity of the process will further reduce costs, remove artificial barriers, and increase the likelihood of timely introduction of essential capability to the warfighters. ADIESA supports the need for Defence acquisitions to be streamlined, with risk-based and accountable decision-making. We agree that to enable Australian defence industry to deliver capability, the acquisition processes must minimise the burden of working with Defence, particularly for small and medium enterprises, thus achieving faster capability delivery while building depth in Australian defence industry where required. The new Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator must enable the research and Defence Industry sectors to focus on the development of advanced and asymmetric capabilities in key technological areas.
ADIESA is committed to working with Defence to facilitate early engagement with industry on capability development and improvement. The ADIESA objective is to support acquisitions and incremental improvements being fit for purpose, and delivered on time and on budget.
Correspondingly, ADIESA encourages Defence to engage with Defence Industry and industry associations earlier, to ensure that capability decisions are well-informed. This will enable critical Defence Industry input to force design and the delivered capability, for a fully integrated and more capable ADF with the technology and asymmetric advantage, force posture and accelerated preparedness necessary for the National Defence Strategy and the defence of Australia.
Media Contact
Mr Mike Wagstaff, Chair, ADIESA
Email: chair@adiesa.org.au
Phone: 0408 382 129
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