Existing capabilities

Land

Queensland’s strong network of specialist capabilities is already delivering for defence – from sustainment of heavy vehicles, aviation and maritime sectors to specialised manufacturing in electronics, composites and engineering.

Across the state, Queensland’s defence industry brings together innovative, capable and collaborative businesses. These span heavy vehicle construction in Ipswich, marine MRO along the coast, cutting-edge fighter-drone manufacturing in Toowoomba and helicopter servicing in Townsville.

MILVEHCOE

In partnership with the Queensland Government, Rheinmetall Defence Australia has established its Australia-New Zealand Headquarters and Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE). Based in Ipswich, this centre manufactures a range of defence projects, including the Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle production.

MILVEHCOE is Australia’s most advanced military vehicle manufacturing facility and a nationally significant defence industry asset. It is underpinned by a diverse supply chain of specialist suppliers and a highly skilled workforce.

Heavy vehicle maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)

Queensland has strong heavy-vehicle capability across Queensland, built on the state’s mining, transport and agriculture industries. Specialist engineers, fabricators, mechanics and electricians maintain critical equipment across regional communities in rugged, remote and demanding conditions.

This strong industrial capability is reflected in Volvo Group Australia’s long-standing presence in Southeast Queensland, where it has built trucks for more than 50 years.

Aerospace

Queensland is home to aviation heavyweights such as Qantas, Virgin, TAE Aerospace and Boeing. Our aviation capabilities cover civilian and defence, fixed and rotary wing, and crewed and uncrewed systems.

This includes Boeing’s new manufacturing facility under construction in Toowoomba. It will produce the next-generation uncrewed aerial system, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat.

TAE Aerospace’s Turbine Engine Maintenance Facility near Ipswich is a world-leading capability, servicing military gas-turbine engines including F135 engines. This facility is the only one in the Asia-Pacific region capable of servicing the engines used in the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft.

Queensland has a range of additional aircraft MRO facilities used for defence assets, including painting and component repair engine overhaul. Queensland is working with industry partners to expand this capability.

Queensland hosts a range of rotary-wing maintenance facilities that support Australia’s Defence aircraft and our international partners, helping sustain sovereign MRO capability for our Apache and Chinook aircrafts.

With more airports than any other state, Queensland boasts a strong aviation workforce through training programs funded under TAFE Queensland and training providers such as Aviation Australia. These deliver specialist education and training for the needs of a modern aviation industry at campuses in Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville.

Maritime

Queensland’s ports and integrated road and rail networks move more cargo than all other eastern states combined.

This strength supports a thriving maritime industry servicing Queensland’s transport, tourism and recreation fleets. It has the facilities and skilled workforce needed to deliver a broad range of marine MRO services.

With deepwater access and some of the largest slipways in the southern Pacific, Queensland delivers maritime MRO services to national and international clients across a wide range of vessel sizes and specialist requirements.

Regional Maintenance Facility – North East

Located in Cairns, the Regional Maintenance Facility – North East (RMC-NE) brings together five leading industry partners to deliver maintenance and sustainment services for Defence and commercial clients. This collaborative model enables industry to share resources and infrastructure, access specialist services and coordinate projects more effectively.

Littoral

Queensland has been selected as the east-coast base for the ADF Littoral Manoeuvres fleet, reflecting its strong industrial capability and strategic access to the Asia-Pacific region.

A dedicated Littoral Lift Group will be based in Queensland, supported by maintenance, berthing and mooring facilities, as well as loading and unloading infrastructure.

Through its infrastructure, skilled workforce and training systems, Queensland will play a central role in sustaining and enabling these new fleets.

For more information on Queensland’s defence industry capabilities, contact the Defence Q team.