Home to Australia’s largest Air Force base and one of the city’s largest employers with around 5000 employees, Ipswich’s defence industry has witnessed a staggering $313 million growth over the past five years.

Through its RAAF Base at Amberley, the city is positioned as a major export player in the Queensland economy, posting almost one fifth of all defence exports compared with 5.8 per cent across the state.

The city includes a stellar list of defence primes and related sector players, with Amberley Air Force Base hosting Northrop Grumman, Boeing, TAE Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Thales, Spotless, Downer, Serco and Wilson.

Four major players also have standalone offices in the Ipswich Local Government Area – Northrop Grumman (Springfield Lakes), Rheinmetall (Redbank), SAAB (Bundamba) and TAE Aerospace (Bundamba).

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the city’s deep connection to the defence sector reinforced Council’s position that Ipswich should be the preferred location for defence and the defence industry in Australia.

“Ipswich has the assets, the infrastructure and the vision to play a significant role in supporting Australia’s development of an innovative defence industry,” Mayor Harding said.

“In 2018, we worked with the defence industry, Queensland Government and the Australian Defence Force to establish a City of Ipswich Defence Industry Strategy the recognised the importance of defence to this region’s economic and community prosperity.

“That focussed us on positioning and promoting this city as a strategic location for defence capability, building a stronger, regional supply chain ecosystem, opening employment and business development pathways in the sector, and stronger partnerships within the sector.

“Council in partnership with industry, has also established the City of Ipswich Defence Industry Development and Attraction Committee (CIDIDAC), of which I am chair, to help guide and provide strategic advice on attraction of defence investment and development.”

Highlights of Ipswich’s involvement in the defence sector include:

• Wholly-owned Australian company TAE Aerospace, which has 11 sites globally, has a new Turbine Engine Maintenance Facility in Ipswich, in order to meet the expectations of the defence supply chain
• $170 million, world-class advanced military vehicle manufacturing facility MILVEHCOE (Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence) – an asset of national significance
• Trusted Australian Defence Force partner Rheinmetall Defence Australia delivering on the $5.2 billion LAND 400 Phase 2 Project, which is supplying wheeled combat support vehicles for infantry
• 24 businesses including leading defence primes Boeing Defence Australia, Rheinmetall Defence Australia, Raytheon Australia, Northrup Grumman Australia, Airbus Australia and RUAG Australia bolstered their capability to supply the defence industry through Ipswich City Council’s Operation Scale-Up pilot. Each participating business now has an action plan to become defence supply chain ready
• Base of operations for Saab Australia in Queensland, which delivers cutting-edge deployable life-saving health equipment

TAE Australia capability air platforms

Rheinmetall’s MILVEHCOE was completed in mid-2020 and is the most advanced military vehicle manufacturing facility in Australia.

Its features include:

• manufacturing, electronics and administration buildings
• a corporate training centre
• an outdoor vehicle test track
• a three-storey electromagnetic compatibility chamber
• a 100-metre fully enclosed weapons test-firing tunnel
• car parking for employees and visitors, vehicle storage, refuelling and wash-down bays, water storage tanks, waste and recycling facilities

Overall there is 30,000m² of production space, including vehicles, simulators, development and test facilities.

The space also includes three simultaneous production lines, a weld shop, armoury, prototyping workshop, turret and simulator assembly, paint booths, heavy maintenance and a large warehouse area.

Rheinmetall Defence Australia

Rheinmetall Defence Australia employs almost 1000 staff, of which a large proportion hail from the Ipswich catchment area.

TAE Australia, whose tagline is “rely on us to keep you flying”, aims to be a top 100 global aerospace company.

For its air platforms it provides high-quality engine maintenance, repair and overhaul as well as specialised engineering, advanced manufacturing, fire protection and rescue systems, wheel and brake work, engine health and usage monitoring system design.

In recognition for delivering consistent, high-quality engine service to military land operators, TAE Australia was awarded the 2017 Essington Lewis Award for the LAND 907-1 Tank Replacement Project in partnership with the Australian Army.

TAE Australia capability land platforms

Joining the ranks of national and international manufacturers in Ipswich, including Rheinmetall, Boeing and TAE Aerospace, global military defence supplier Saab made Ipswich its base of operations in Queensland. Delivering deployable cutting-edge life-saving health equipment to help support military personnel and creating jobs to support the Ipswich community.

The purpose-built facility includes specialist medical technician facilities, maintenance workshops, training and storage facilities, as well as outdoor exercise space to enable the Australian Defence Force operational medical teams to gain familiarisation with equipment.