Australia's Defense Industrial Pivot
Tracking the shift from expeditionary support to sovereign munitions, autonomous systems, and AUKUS-enabled industrial depth
GMLRS INVESTMENT
A$1B
First sovereign precision munitions
GHOST SHARK PROGRAM
A$1.3B
XL-AUV autonomous fleet
AUKUS PILLAR II
8
Advanced capability workstreams
PORT WAKEFIELD
2025
First domestic GMLRS test-fire
Defense Spending Over Time
A$ billion (2024 constant), with government tenure and strategic milestones
AUKUS Announced
2021-09-15
Ukraine Invasion Begins
2022-02-24
Defence Strategic Review
2023-04-24
GMLRS Manufacturing Announced
2023-07-13
Key Questions
Sources: Australian Department of Defence, SIPRI, AUKUS Partnership Office
Data sources
Defence Budget 2024–25· Australian Department of Defence2023 Defence Strategic Review· Australian Government2024 National Defence Strategy· Australian Department of DefenceAUKUS Partnership Overview· AUKUS Partnership OfficeMilitary Expenditure Database· Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)Ghost Shark Program Announcement· Australian Department of DefenceGuided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise· Australian Department of Defence