[2] It is Australia's second largest government-funded science organisation after the CSIRO and its research outcomes have supported operations for over 100 years.

The position is supported by an independent Advisory Board with representatives from defence, industry, academia and the science community.

It also has bilateral defence science agreements with USA, UK, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway and Singapore.

In February 2012, DSTG was given the whole-of-government responsibility to co-ordinate research and development for Australia's national security.

Over the next 20 years various other Australian Defence laboratories were integrated with DSTO, including what remained of the Weapons Research Establishment, responsible for the Woomera test range.