Defence Economy

Participating ships from Australia and partner nations at anchor in Jervis Bay during Exercise KAKADU 2026. Photo: Defence Images / LSIS Susan Mossop.

Exclusive 13 hours ago

Defence slashes $8m from PFAS program with WA contractor

Defence has reduced an $8.58 million contract with Indigenous-owned engineering firm DDR Australia by nearly 95 per cent, shelving plans for a permanent water treatment plant designed to remove tox

Defence Economy 1 day ago

Anti-war protesters get exclusion letters

A suite of new police powers and resources costing $11.5 million to manage the Land Forces defence industry exhibition in Perth came into effect on Thursday, five days ahead of the event beginning.

Main pic: Chironix headquarters. Inset: Chironix chief executive Daniel Milford. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira.

Defence Economy 1 day ago

Chironix inks $13.6m US Navy deal

Perth-based engineering firm Chironix has inked a $13.6 million deal with the US Navy to develop technology that helps autonomous vehicles safely evacuate injured personnel from the battlefield.

Defence Economy 29 Sep 2026

Defence charged over HMAS Stirling incident

The Department of Defence has been charged with breaching work and safety laws over an incident, in which a crane weighing 60 tonnes tipped over at HMAS Stirling.

Richard Marles (right) with Pete Hegseth earlier this month. Photo: Rodney Braithwaite

Defence Economy 29 Sep 2026

Contributing on an industrial scale

OPINION: Australia's next alliance contribution won't just be military, it will be industrial.

Advanced Navigation co-founder Chris Shaw. Inset left: The Boreas navigation system. Inset right: Kongsberg's PROTECTOR counter-unmanned aerial platform. Photos: Supplied.

Defence Economy 23 Sep 2026

Advanced Navigation to deploy system in Polish turrets

Perth-founded unicorn Advanced Navigation will have its Boreas inertial navigation systems embedded on Polish anti-drone turrets, in a deal inked with Kongsberg worth $26 million.

Paddy Gregg at Austal’s company’s Mobile facility.

Defence Economy 22 Sep 2026

Hanwha offer puts Austal USA in play

ANALYSIS: A US bidding war offers Austal a lucrative, overdue American divorce.

Washington’s new cyber posture under Donald Trump (right) could cause headaches for Australia and Anthony Albanese. Image: AAP/Susie Dodds

Defence Economy 15 Sep 2026

Why we shouldn’t back a hack attack

Australia would be reckless to follow moves by the US to outsource cyber warfare.

An Australian soldier undertakes FPV drone training. Photo: Sgt Nicole Dorrett

Defence Economy 15 Sep 2026

Next defence race an industrial one

OPINION: Home-grown industrial capacity can be a useful adjunct to established defence alliances.

Defence Economy 09 Sep 2026

Austal USA receives $1.9b counter-bid

Austal has revealed it has received a $1.9 billion counter-takeover offer for its US division from a syndicate led by Florida firm Wildcat Infrastructure.

Defence Economy 08 Sep 2026

Premier touts big names in defence bids

Seven proposals for defence industry initiatives are to be evaluated as priority options as the state government's Western Defence Forge process enters its second phase.

Advertising, Marketing & Communications 07 Sep 2026

Business News expands to Canberra

Business News has expanded its political coverage with the appointment of experienced journalist Adrian Rollins as its first reporter based at Parliament House in Canberra.

Defence Economy 07 Sep 2026

Wildcard emerges in potential Austal US sale

Perth-founded defence shipbuilder Austal has confirmed it has held early talks with Wildcat Infrastructure over a competing offer for its US business but says no offer has been made.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Kim Beazley. Photo: AAP Image/Aaron Bunch.

Defence Economy 03 Sep 2026

'Big bear' China can't be ignored: Beazley to Aukus inquiry

Former deputy prime minister Kim Beazley has delivered an unapologetic defence of the Aukus pact before an independent inquiry, arguing that acquiring nuclear-powered submarines was vital to Australia's sovereignty.

HMAS Perth sails as part of a VIP capability display during Exercise Pitch Black 24. Photo: LACW Annika Smit.

Defence Economy 02 Sep 2026

Babcock, Saab ink $117m WA frigate contract

Babcock Australia will take the reins, in partnership with Saab, managing the life cycle of the nation's ageing Anzac-class frigates at the Henderson maritime precinct under a new 5-year, $117.5 million deal.

Defence Economy 01 Sep 2026

Learning before the fight

OPINION: Australia must be prepared for conflict that's increasingly defined by more than just ships, aircraft and soldiers.

Austal chief executive Paddy Gregg. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Defence Economy 31 Aug 2026

Defence pipeline drives Austal shift on $1.8b bid

A multi-billion-dollar local defence pipeline has driven a "paradigm shift" in how Austal views selling its US arm, as South Korean defence giant Hanwha conducts due diligence for the $1.8 billion bid.

Defence Economy 27 Aug 2026

Austal to add 500 WA roles in defence drive

Henderson-based shipbuilder Austal has launched a campaign to hire 500 new workers over the next twelve months, as work ramps up on the firm's landing craft shipbuilding programs.

Defence Economy 27 Aug 2026

Resources, Aukus spur strong results for marine firms

Mining maintenance, offshore subsea work, and a surge in defence contracts have powered full-year results for three of WA's key industrial and marine specialists.

Australia has no ships designed specifically for subsea cable installation. Photo: Wolfgang Weiser/Pexels

Defence Economy 24 Aug 2026

Faults expose larger cable issue

Experts are warning subsea cables have become one of the nation's largest vulnerabilities.

Anthony Albanese during a visit to Perth. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Defence Economy 24 Aug 2026

Henderson finalised, cost not revealed

Nuclear-powered submarine sustainment operations will sit in the middle of the Henderson precinct, flanked by non-defence operations, under finalised site plans presented by the Prime Minister in Perth today.

Defence Economy 18 Aug 2026

Signals across the Pacific

OPINION: Australia must not shrink from developing closer relationships with its Pacific neighbours.

UK Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard. Photo: AAP/EPA/ANDY RAIN

Exclusive 17 Aug 2026

'Learn from our mistakes': UK Defence minister to WA

Britain's Defence Readiness and Industry Minister used a visit to Perth to encourage Anthony Albanese and Roger Cook to learn from mistakes made in ensuring the community backed large-scale defence projects like the Henderson Precinct.

Defence Economy 14 Aug 2026

Training for a nuclear workforce

Parabellum International has expanded into defence industries with an eye to building nuclear-capable professional emergency response teams.

Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, speaking at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA)

Defence Economy 13 Aug 2026

Pentagon praises Australia's post-Aukus review execution

The Pentagon's top policy official says Australia is successfully executing its post-Aukus review roadmap, pointing to WA's SRF-West as a standout example of the work being done.

Defence Economy 11 Aug 2026

Hanwha launch $1.7b Austal USA bid

Australia's sovereign shipbuilder Austal has received a non-binding, $1.7 billion offer for its US subsidiary from South Korean chaebol Hanwha.

Mike von Bertouch with the fuselage of a One-Way Loitering munition developed by Innovaero.

Defence Economy 07 Aug 2026

Perth drone firm Innovaero eye $158m IPO

Perth drone company Innovaero is accelerating plans for its IPO, with brokers pricing the raise at $40 million at five cents per share, giving the business an expected market capitalisation of $158 million.

Paul Papalia has been a strong advocate for the state in his defence industries and veterans portfolios. Photo: Matt Jelonek

Defence Economy 04 Aug 2026

Measure of a minister is what remains

OPINION: Paul Papalia brought genuine experience and passion to his role in the defence community.

US Virginia-class submarine. Photo: Australian Submarine Agency.

Defence Economy 30 Jul 2026

HMAS Stirling US sub rotation for five years only

Federal defence industry minister Pat Conroy has put a five-year limit on the rotational presence of nuclear-powered US submarines at HMAS Stirling.

Defence Economy 27 Jul 2026

Raman departs as VEEM CEO

VEEM chief executive Trevor Raman has announced he will depart the marine technology company, citing a desire to pursue additional career opportunities.

Linda Reynolds at the recent Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference. Photo: Michael O’Brien

Defence Economy 21 Jul 2026

Reynolds has questions for Aukus inquiry

Australia is already engaged in a conflict with China, former defence minister Linda Reynolds told the Aukus Public Inquiry in Fremantle recently.

Integrated Air and Missile Defence director-general Vince Chong (left) and his Canadian counterpart, Peter Saunders, at the recent signing. Photo: Nicole Mankowski

Defence Economy 21 Jul 2026

Turning trust into opportunity

OPINION: Australia is already engaged in a borderless conflict and Canberra's defences are struggling to keep pace.

Defence Economy

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