Why did the Australian Government launch the 10-year defence innovation strategy?

The Australian Government launched the 10-year strategy to accelerate technology adoption across military operations and strengthen the nation's sovereign defence industrial base.

How is the Australian Government strategy expected to strengthen sovereign defence manufacturing?

The Australian Government stated that the strategy will build sovereign industrial capacity by accelerating the development of autonomous platforms like Ghost Bat and Ghost Shark. It also targets quantum technologies for GPS-denied environments and advanced counter-drone systems.

How does the Australian Government plan to implement the defence innovation strategy?

The Australian Government plans to strengthen partnerships across government agencies, industry contractors, and research institutions to accelerate technology deployment.

What does the ADSTAR Summit launch mean for the Australian Government defence strategy?

The Australian Government launched the 10-year strategy alongside the 2026 Australian Defence Science Technology and Research Summit in Adelaide. The event brings together over 2,000 global researchers and decision-makers to align research initiatives with national defence priorities.

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Australian government unveils 10-year defence strategy

Written by Heidi Cuthbert Published Aug 4, 2026, 1:58 AM

The Australian Government has launched a 10-year defence innovation strategy.
The plan outlines six technology priorities to build sovereign industrial capacity.
The strategy aims to accelerate technology adoption across military operations.

The Australian Government has launched a 10-year strategy targeting six key defence technology priorities.

The policy updates the 2024 framework and aligns with Australia's national defence investment programme.

"Technology is reshaping warfare at a pace we have never seen before," said Australian Government Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.

The strategy targets hypersonic weapons, high-energy lasers, autonomous systems, quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and undersea warfare.

The initiative aims to strengthen sovereign manufacturing while advancing autonomous platforms and counter-drone systems.

The plan was released alongside the 2026 Australian Defence Science Technology and Research Summit in Adelaide.