October 2025 newsletter

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has released a new report, Sea Lines and Strategic Frontiers: The Territory’s Maritime Advantage, developed ahead of the Indo Pacific 2025 International Maritime Exposition.

The report includes a Foreword from the Chief Minister, highlighting the momentum, partnerships and potential driving northern Australia’s growth as a key maritime hub. It underscores the Northern Territory’s strategic role in supporting Australia’s defence, trade and regional engagement across the Indo-Pacific.

Read the full report on ASPI’s website

Since 2022, the Defence Base Services Transformation Program has been redesigning next-generation contracts to deliver coordinated maintenance, support and minor capital works across the entire Defence estate. This includes bases, training ranges, properties and built assets.

Service Stream has recently been awarded the Property and Asset Services contract, covering 117 Defence sites and facilities across the Northern Territory and South Australia.

From February 2026, Service Stream will deliver integrated work programs for aerodrome operations, land management, estate upkeep and estate management services across Defence training areas and ranges.

For more information on contract capabilities or to register your business’s interest, visit the Defence BST Contract Information Hub - Service Stream

The NT Government is supporting small and medium businesses to back themselves against cybercrime with the $1 million Cyber Invest Business Program. Small and medium businesses can apply for up to $10,000 to cover costs of eligible services to strengthen cybersecurity or to test their business’ resilience to a cyber incident.

As part of our year on action, certainty and security, our government will match dollar for dollar up to $10,000 dollars.

Reports have shown that the average cost of a cyberattack is $50,000 which can be devastating to small and medium businesses along with facing business disruptions and reputational damage.

This program makes it possible for Territorians to implement solutions that protect their business and provide their staff with the training and education to be better prepared for a cyber-attack.

From today ICT and cyber security providers are invited to apply to become an approved provider to work with businesses. The scheme will open to business applicants on 27 October 2025.

Investing in cyber security is good business practice particularly in the defence sector.  More information on the Cyber Invest Business Grant.

A temperature controlled, networked hangar for the Australian Defence Force’s MQ-4C Triton aircraft is reportedly almost complete and expected to finish four months ahead of schedule.

The fit-for-purpose facilities and infrastructure to support the introduction into service of the MQ-4C Triton aircraft system are being delivered under the Department of Defence’s AIR 7000 Phase 1B Project.

A scope of works at RAAF Base Tindal for AIR 7000 Phase 1B includes two maintenance hangars, a building for support and maintenance, a deployable mission control system to support operations, aircraft pavements, an aircraft wash and engine run-up area, a ground support equipment shelter, internal access roads, car parking, general pavements and landscaping as well as a local building services plant and site wide engineering services.

Territory construction company, Sitzler has been the Head Contractor for this project and has championed local content, bringing the project four months ahead of schedule.

To continue reading the Defence Connect article

The United States Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Pacific has awarded the US$15 billion Pacific Deterrence Initiative Multiple Award Construction Contract (PDI MACC) to several companies for major infrastructure projects across the Indo-Pacific region.

The program will deliver new facilities, repairs and upgrades to key Defence infrastructure including wharves, piers, runways, fuel storage, roads, hangars and base support facilities. Projects are expected to take place in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Micronesia, the Philippines, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Midway, Wake Island, and other locations under NAVFAC Pacific’s oversight.

The US companies awarded contracts include:

• Acciona CMS
• Black Construction–Tutor Perini Joint Venture
• CDM
• Core Tech–HDCC–Kajima
• ECC Expeditionary Constructors
• Gilbane Federal Joint Venture
• Nan Inc
• Parsons Government Services

The Northern Territory’s defence construction sector has been closely monitoring the PDI MACC, recognising the potential for collaboration with US contractors on projects in Australia and the broader region.

In recent years a number of NT defence industry delegations have travelled to Pearl Harbor to engage with NAVFAC Pacific and the awarded companies, and to promote the capability and readiness of the NT’s construction industry to support projects closer to home.

Year 9 and 10 students across the Territory are encouraged to submit an entry for the 2026 Chief Minister’s Sharing Our History, Securing Future Peace Study Tour to Okinawa, Japan.

For those who are interested in history, defence, international trade and international relations, this tour is an opportunity to enhance their learning about the Second World War, travel with industry leaders sites of international significance, and gain an insight into future careers paths.

Six students will be selected to travel to Okinawa with two chaperones and a facilitator in June 2026, with the tour taking in the Okinawa Memorial Day ceremony at the Okinawa Memorial Peace Park.

To enter, students will be asked to address the following question:

How did the Second World War shape the partnership between Australia and Japan, and how can it continue to grow in the future?

Student entries can be an essay, oral, a PowerPoint presentation, a website, poem, song or artwork.

Only Northern Territory students currently in Year 9 or Year 10 are eligible to enter.

Entries are open from now until 12 December 2025, with the recipients to be announced in February 2026 after school resumes.

For more information visit DefenceNT

Australia’s northern air bases: building resilience, slowly | The Strategist

The future of the army’s amphibious capability in Darwin | The Strategist

Nuclear certification for Darwin port can reinforce AUKUS, northern posture - ASPI

AusTender is free to use and where you can find Australian Government opportunities, annual procurement plans and contracts award announcements.

BenchOn access opportunities with government agencies and Primes through BenchOn Industry Portals.

ICN Gateway Australia and New Zealand’s largest network of suppliers and projects.

SAM.Gov the official US government system for contracting opportunities and contract award reports.

Construction projects currently in contract

PAF160700 Squadron Operations Facility | Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin

PAF180400 Squadron Operations Facility | Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal

RAAF Darwin Refresh Program 

RAAF Darwin  P923 Parking Apron

Request for Tender: Defence Capability Support Panel (DCSP)

Defence are currently seeking tender responses to establish the Defence Capability Support Panel (DCSP). The DCSP will incorporate suitable skills currently being delivered to Defence under the Defence Support Services Panel (SON3485107), Negotiation Services Standing Offer Panel (SON3389328), Security Services Standing Offer Panel (SON3641973), Simulation Support Panel (SON3412268) and Language Training Services Standing Offer Panel (SON3604481).

Capabilities sought include: engineering and technical, material logistics, digital engineering, defence capability services and defence security services.

This RFT closes 5 January 2026. For more information: Current ATM View - CD/RFT/27857/1: AusTender

Request for Tender: Air Transport Standing Offer for Services

Department of Defence seeks to establish a Panel to provide domestic and international air transport services. Strategic requirements under this Panel are likely to be in support of military Exercises, Operations and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief within Australia and overseas. Services required under the Panel are anticipated to include provision of aircraft and movement of cargo and/or passengers.

This RFT closes 31 October 2025. For more information Current ATM View - 60432: AusTender

Pre-Release ATM: Linguistic Support to Operations Standing offer for services (60434)

This serves an advanced notification for Defence seeking to establish a Panel to provide domestic and international linguist support services to operations. Strategic requirements under this Panel are likely to be in support of military Exercises, Operations and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster relief within Australia and overseas.

For more information Current ATM View - 60434 Pre-Release 2: AusTender

Industry Grants

Defence provides a range of grants to support industry. These grants assist Australian small and medium enterprises in expanding to meet Defence capability needs and join global Defence industry supply chains.

Current information on available grant programs can be located at defence.gov.au.

Industry Growth Program Offers

The program provides an Advisory Service for startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) undertaking innovative commercialisation and/or growth projects that are within the priority areas of the Australian Government’s National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) and help build Australia’s manufacturing capability for the future.

Find out more: business.gov.au