Embracing partnership more widely across governments, the military, industry and academia can accelerate capability to the frontline, which enhances a nation’s deterrence posture.

The profound changes underway in the global security environment are clear. And this resurgence of great power competition and the increasing complexity of regional threats should prompt a rethink of defence acquisition and the evolution of capability through its life.

The Australian Government’s response to these threats is clear. The National Defence Strategy, Defence Industry Development Strategy and Integrated Investment Program articulate well the challenges, the Commonwealth’s priorities for addressing them and the indispensable role of industry in supporting the Australian Defence Force.

To navigate these changes effectively, we must move beyond traditional defence capability development and acquisition paradigms. The complexities of modern warfare, and the scale and pace of technological development in the defence industrial enterprise and beyond, require a more collaborative approach – one that leverages the strengths and expertise of multiple stakeholders: in short, greater partnership in capability acquisition and through-life management.

We need to strive for a partnership model in which all parties are focused on achieving outcomes, and work for the common good. From my experience, this can work in defence.

Enhanced partnerships in support of military capability are not merely an option for defence, they are essential to achieve the pace and combat effectiveness we need against today’s and tomorrow’s threats.

By forging partnerships beyond the traditional boundaries of government and military institutions, Defence will benefit from greater diversity of ideas, skills and experience. Partnering helps channel focus and energy on common goals and outcomes, and engenders sharing of knowledge, resources, and capabilities; this in turn results in more operationally effective and efficient capability.

Successful partnering requires an investment of time and effort. It requires participants to lead with the right culture and behaviours, and to focus on ‘the greater good’ and shared objectives. This demands openness and honesty about risks and issues, and being prepared to have uncomfortable conversations if needed.

To illustrate the benefits of partnering to accelerate capability to the frontline, let me highlight a few case studies that demonstrate potential impact on Australian defence capabilities.

First, the AUKUS arrangement of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States is a prime example of how strategic partnerships can enhance defence capabilities. Through AUKUS, Australia is gaining access to cutting-edge technologies, including nuclear-powered submarines that significantly bolster Australia’s defence. This partnership strengthens naval capabilities, reinforces its position within the Indo-Pacific region, and enhances its strategic deterrence and operational reach.

AUKUS will foster greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing. It will help drive continuous improvement and innovation by sharing lessons from national and collective capability development and sustainment. And done well, it will bolster national resilience and industrial sustainability.

As an example, we embarked a number of years ago on a sovereign skills program that brings QinetiQ employees from Australia to the UK for several months to participate in live test and evaluation environments. This knowledge transfer helps our employees learn about our global test and evaluation capability so that they can return to Australia and provide the organic sovereign test and evaluation capability this nation needs.

A second example is high-energy laser systems. QinetiQ is working with Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group to co-develop a state-of-the-art laser directed energy weapon that can be deployed across a wide range of operational environments.

The program, announced in April 2023, sets a timeline for the completion of a technology demonstrator by the end of the first quarter of 2025—reflecting a commitment to delivering a timely, functional and effective system that meets the needs of the Australian Defence Force.

This partnership is a strategic move to integrate DSTG’s sovereign technology with QinetiQ’s advanced global capabilities, accelerating the development of a future-ready defensive system for Australia.

Finally, QinetiQ announced the formation of ‘Team TECSA’, a collaboration bringing together Australian industry and academia in response to the government’s National Defence Strategy and Defence Industry Development Strategy, which has identified test and evaluation, certification and systems assurance (TECSA) as one of the sovereign defence industrial priorities.

The National Defence Strategy calls for an ‘all of nation’ response. Team TECSA brings together industry and academia to build the workforce and infrastructure necessary to rapidly enhance Australia’s defence test and evaluation enterprise.

Initiatives such as this demonstrate how industry can collaborate to make genuine progress and bring together a prime’s global capability, workforce, infrastructure, and innovation with local industry to combine capabilities, resources, and collective know-how.

This approach to collaboration and integration provides Defence with the opportunity to accelerate its enterprise plans; increasing the pace of delivery, improving capability outcomes, driving efficiencies; and fostering innovation.

Real partnering and meaningful collaboration require a significant change in national and industrial behaviours. Clearly this is easier said than done—but it can be done. Governments, the military and industry must demonstrate a greater willingness to engage more broadly based upon a foundation of trust and a partnering approach for the good of the enterprise.

If we get it right, we have the opportunity to create greater stability and higher collective economic growth.

As a former US Secretary of Defence, once said, ‘You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.’

One can easily substitute ‘capability’ for ‘army’ into this statement.

An improved approach to partnering will accelerate capability to the frontline. Time is of the essence—the threat is real, and we must be ready.