The Australian Defence Force’s Heavy Airlift Capability dwarfed the planes that surrounded it at the Avalon Air Show. The C-17 was a key attraction at the event- visitors were able to walk through its cargo and truly experience its size.
(For other Avalon images please see here).

Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) was in full force at the Australian International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition in March with more than 12 areas of the organisation displaying their wares.

DMO’s display demonstrated the benefits of doing business with Defence. Staff on the stands supplied delegates with the latest information on anticipated Defence expenditure across the next decade.

The message was that with eighty per cent of the Australian Defence Force’s war fighting assets scheduled for replacement, updates or improvement across a ten to fifteen year period, investing in Australia ’s defence capability and future security is smart business.

Divisional representatives provided delegates with a breakdown of the decade’s one-hundred billion dollar anticipated expenditure on acquisition and sustainment. This includes an investment of thirty-nine billion in electronic systems; twenty-two billion in aerospace; nineteen billion in maritime; fourteen billion in land and vehicles; and six billion in weapons and munitions.

From the DMO corporate stand delegates were able to obtain a copy of the latest ‘Selected Publications CD March 2007’, which includes a functional directory with the contact details of key organisational staff. In addition to this DMO supplied delegates with the DVD ‘A partnership to defend the nation’ in which DMO’s Head of Industry Division, Kerry Clarke, discusses key implications of the Defence and Industry Policy Statement 2007.

Copies of both of these publications are available at request. Please email DMO.Communication@defence.gov.au and supply a postal address along with the name of the publication you require.

Representatives from the Government initiative Skilling Australia ’s Defence Industry (SADI) were also in attendance, actively encouraging companies to consider making an investment in up-skilling.

The key message from the SADI stand was that defence industry will require between three-to-five-thousand additional engineers, specialist technicians, key trades people and project managers over the next decade to provide the skills necessary to acquire and maintain Australia ’s major defence platforms. And, if we don’t carefully manage a national approach to meet this skills demand we leave ourselves open to additional risks. The answer to this according to the SADI team is strong and coordinated action. The Government is making joint investments with industry through its SADI program to contribute to a skilling solution.

Lastly, DMO’s Industry Division representatives were able to offer advice on the Defence and Industry Policy Statement 2007 and what it means for Defence/industry interactions.

In total more than 15 areas of the Australian Defence Organisation exhibited across the four days of the trade exhibition and the three public days. The event was the first where Defence had a consolidated presence. The Defence exhibition was the largest on show and was awarded the prestigious and highest accolade of the ‘Chairman's Award’.

Almost 600 organisations exhibited in the trade show, representing 20 countries. Across the entire week more than 182,500 people walked through the Avalon gates to experience the show.