From Curtin to Chifley: How Australian Companies are Building Sovereign Capability
In an era where global security challenges demand rapid innovation and sovereign capability, Australia’s defence industry is stepping up and DroneShield is proud to be at the forefront. However what you might expect to find DroneShield’s supply chains are not what you might have thought.
At DroneShield, we are proud that our RfPatrol Mk2 drone detection device boasts an impressive 85 per cent Australian industry content level. This is not just a statistic, and it is by design. It’s a testament to the strength, skill, and ingenuity of Australian manufacturers, engineers, and suppliers who form the backbone of DroneShield’s operations. From precision manufacturing to advanced materials and high-tech electronics, our supply chain spans the nation, creating jobs, fostering innovation, and reinforcing Australia’s defence resilience.
This commitment to local industry has not gone unnoticed. Our supply chain partners operate across electorates spanning Australia.
From critical custom electronics manufactured across New South Wales in the electorates of Kingsford Smith, Parramatta, McMahon, Reid and Newcastle – and even in the South Australian electorate of Kingston; through to precision machining from the electorates of Bruce and Warringah. DroneShield works closely with contract manufacturers, located in the electorates of Hindmarsh and Mitchell. And of course, let’s not forget other componentry sourced from across Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
Image: Sally Sitou MP (centre), Member for Reid, with the DroneShield RfPatrol Mk2, and DroneShield staff, Kacey Lam-Evans and Lawrence Marychurch.
All of these Australian companies contribute to DroneShield’s mission. Many of them have warmly opened their doors to their local Members of Parliament – whose engagement underscores the bipartisan recognition of the importance of sovereign defence capability and the value of Australian-made solutions.
DroneShield’s Command-and- Control C2 system, which is the digital backbone of our counter-drone technology, is another example of Australian sovereign capability, with all software engineering including our in-house AI developed here in Australia.
When DroneShield equipment is deployed to support missions abroad, including in Ukraine, it is not just our technology that is sent. It is the collective effort of dozens of Australian businesses, brought together by DroneShield. It is intrinsically about the fabric of our nation’s industrial base, woven together in a shared commitment to security, innovation, and global responsibility.
This is what makes Australia’s defence industry unique. DroneShield do not just build equipment – we build capability, community, and confidence. Every time a DroneShield device is deployed, it carries with it the expertise of Australian workers, the trust of our partners, and the support of a nation that believes in its own potential.
As the Australian Government look to the future of counter-drone technology deployment across military bases, we must continue to invest in and protect this capability. Sovereign supply chains are not built overnight but are instead the result of long-term vision, consistent government policy, and strong collaboration between government and industry.
We thank our parliamentary partners for their continued support and call on all stakeholders to champion the Australian companies that are quietly, but powerfully, shaping the future of defence.
This article originally appeared in The Australian.
Written by Kacey Lam-Evans, Government Affairs Director at DroneShield, and served as political adviser to the 54th Australian Minister for Defence.