Team Defence Australia held centre stage at UDT and did a great job in promoting Australian defence SMEs.
Given HMS Anson had recently completed its historic visit to Western Australia AUKUS discussions and the opportunities for both UK and Australian SMEs to enter each other’s defence supply chains were main topics of conversation.
There were several NATO countries at UDT wanting to know more about Australian SME capabilities they many have immediate requirements to boost their defence capabilities. Based on my discussions with NATO country members at UDT, Australian SMEs should make themselves aware of the current NATO defence requirements.
The relationship and trust between Australia and the UK remains strong. I can see SMEs from both countries having significant opportunities in the future, created by AUKUS. However, Australian SMEs should not only be focusing on AUKUS opportunities, but also considering wider opportunities with other NATO countries that fall outside of AUKUS.
