The Defence Industrial Capability Plan introduces the new Sovereign Industrial Capability Assessment Framework to provide a repeatable methodology to identify Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities.
In approaching development of the Priorities, we focused on a definition of sovereign industrial capability around access to, or control over, the essential skills, technology, intellectual property, financial resources and infrastructure within our defence industrial base as required.
The Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities are the result of a rigorous assessment framework that looked at the strategic, capability, and resources dimensions of industrial sovereignty – and made judgements based on Defence needs. The Government’s priority is to provide the Australian Defence Force with cost-effective, cutting-edge capability while also maximising Australian industry involvement.
In this context, the Priorities focus on areas that are operationally critical to the Defence mission; priorities within the Integrated Investment Program over a three to five year period; or those in need of more dedicated monitoring, management, and support due to their industrial complexity, Government priority, or requirements across multiple capability programs.
Priorities are described at the capability level with a focus on technologies rather than companies or products. This approach will encourage innovation and new developments across the Integrated Investment Program capability streams and individual projects.
Effective implementation of the Priorities requires them to be embedded early into strategic planning and Defence capability planning processes and across the Capability Life Cycle. This will be a core task of Defence Industry Policy Division.
The Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities will be managed, supported and considered throughout the Capability Life Cycle and will start at the very beginning of defence planning through to disposal.
More information on the SICPs can be found in the SICP Fact Sheet.
Detailed information about the SICPs and each individual Industry and Implementation Plan can be found on the Implementation and Industry Plans page.
Implementation and Industry Plans
The 2018 Defence Industrial Capability Plan outlined the Government’s long-term vision to build and develop a robust, resilient and internationally competitive Australian defence industrial base that is better able to help meet Defence capability requirements.
The Defence Industrial Capability Plan introduced ten initial Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities (the Priorities), and noted Defence would develop Implementation Plans for each Priority. These Implementation Plans outline critical industrial capabilities for each Priority, describe the existing Australian defence industry sector and outline the actions to be taken by Government to support the development of each Priority.
Alongside these Implementation Plans are detailed Industry Plans that unpack the industrial capabilities that need to be delivered or supported by Australian industry, and encourage greater investment in those capabilities.
The Government announced four additional Priorities on 26 August 2021 to reflect the changing strategic environment and evolving capability needs as articulated in the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan.