Defence industry of Australia

[1] The industry has grown over recent years, and Australian Defence Magazine reported that the 40 largest companies had a total revenue of $A 9.2 billion in 2015.

It was a private company formed by a consortium to manufacture military aircraft with the intention of providing Australia with the tools to fight the modern war that was looming.

Commissioned in 1855, HMCS Spitfire was the first warship built in Australia for a Colonial government,[6] although most ships were ordered from shipyards in England.

Commissioned in 1911, HMAS Warrego (D70) was the first ship to be built in Australia for the Royal Australian Navy, which was formed earlier that year.

Whilst the government of Australia had always preferred to buy foreign warships, this changed with the 1976 Defence White Paper which emphasised a need for self-reliance.

[13] While this made Australia the 20th largest exporter of defence goods and services, it represented only around half of one percent of the global arms trade.

This report also noted that at the time it was estimated that manufacturing represented 20 percent of the Australian defence industry's revenue, with sustainment services making up the remainder.

This will include making $A3.8 billion in government funding available for loans to companies and establishing an Australian Defence Export Advocate.