A Collaborative City
Sydney stands at the forefront of aerospace and defence innovation in Australia, combining leading research facilities and world-class academic institutions with strategic geographic positioning.
Sydney is a gateway to the Indo-Pacific, located on the coast of New South Wales (NSW), the country’s most populous state. NSW is home to almost 40% of Australia’s aerospace and defence industry – including more than 80 defence facilities and a large pool of military and civilian expertise – much of it based in Sydney.
Collaboration between state and federal governments, private industry and academic institutions, has fostered an environment in which innovation thrives. The government has invested heavily in infrastructure which complements Sydney’s R&D strength. This includes projects like the Tech Central innovation precinct – a hub designed to support startups, tech companies, and research institutions – fostering collaboration and technological advancement.
Maroun El Khoury, Executive Director, Industry & Investment, Investment NSW says Sydney can lay claim to a uniquely collaborative environment, and that the strong support networks in the city enable ground-breaking research and development.
For visiting associations, this clearly has its benefits. Not only are they able to rely on local expertise to enhance their conference programming, the city’s collaborative nature promotes long-term partnerships and engagements, ensuring that associations find value when hosting in the city. As El Khoury puts it, “This synergy also ensures that international events and conferences are well-organised and impactful”.
Sydney is slated to host some major events in the defence and aerospace arenas, including the 76th International Astronautical Congress 2025 and a convening of the International Council of Aeronautical Sciences in 2026.
Accelerating Aerospace Innovation
Eight universities with space programs call NSW home, and the state defines itself as Australia’s leading region for space-related activities. In particular, it is recognised for its strengths in high-tech instrumentation, satellite components, as well as space education and training. Benefitting from the presence of major satellite operators – such as the Optus-owned Satellite Operations Centre in Sydney – the state plays a critical role in both national and international space operations.
“Sydney is a very important part of the national space ecosystem,” says Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency. “Just over 30 per cent of the organisations that work in the broader space ecosystem across commercial institutions, academia and government are based in Sydney, which is the largest percentage out of any state or territory.”
Palermo is not the only one recognising the city’s leading role in the aerospace industry. James Free, the Associate Director of NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, praised Australia’s significant involvement in the Artemis Moon to Mars mission, highlighting Australian contributions to space communications, robotics and remote operations.
Helping drive innovations in this field are initiatives like NSW SmartSat Research Centre Node – a joint venture which promotes industry and academic collaboration to address critical industry challenges – and the NSW Space Research Network, which aims to enhance NSW’s space industry capabilities through research and development projects.
Developing Defence Capabilities
NSW is also home to the most sophisticated defence-related research institutions in Australia – making it pivotal to the country’s defence activities. The industry is well-established in the state, with a workforce of 6,500 direct workers and over 29,000 indirect workers, and it contributes an estimated $3.4 billion in gross value to the overall Australia Defence Economy.
Again, Sydney itself is a key player here. The city is home to numerous military bases which add significantly to its expertise in sustainment – the provisioning of service support, including repair and maintenance, engineering and configuration management. In particular, Western Sydney is home to many advanced manufacturing companies with capabilities suitable for defence applications.
President of the Australian Industry and Defence Network (NSW), Anna Murrray, says that Sydney is well-positioned to become an ideal centre for small businesses that want to test and make prototypes using advanced machinery. “We have some cutting-edge people who really want to push the envelope”, she says. “The support for innovation and new ideas and prototypes in Western Sydney…will make it a huge strength for businesses that want to operate here.”
Cooperation between the Government, academia and private industry continues to drive progress in Sydney’s defence sector. The Defence Innovation Network (DIN), for example, is an association of nine leading universities in NSW as well as the Australian National University. The DIN has been instrumental in driving advancements in defence technology through joint research initiatives.
Defence partnerships, however, are not limited to Australian shores. AUKUS is a trilateral security arrangement between Australia, the UK and the US. Together, these nations are focused on developing Australia’s nuclear submarine capabilities, and cooperatively advancing military and cyber technologies in order to enhance their joint defence. The Optimal Pathway of the AUKUS Partnership for nuclear-powered submarines will potentially result in the most advanced submarine base in the world being built on Australia’s East Coast in the next 10 to 20 years.
For associations working in this sector, this provides an exciting opportunity to engage with a rapidly evolving industry, to position themselves at the forefront of global defence advancements and develop lasting partnerships with those working at the very cutting edge of their field.
A bright future
Technologies are not the only thing advancing in Sydney’s defence and aerospace sectors. The city and Australia as a whole are championing diversity within these sectors – including and leveraging a greater variety of perspectives, experiences and knowledge to propel progress forward. As El Khoury puts it: “Women in STEM fields within Sydney’s Defence and Aerospace sectors play a crucial role in driving innovation, enhancing problem-solving capabilities and fostering diversity of thought.”
In addition to programs aimed at increasing gender equality, efforts are being made – through bodies such as the Australian Space Diversity Alliance and the Indigenous Cultural Advisory Group – to ensure that, in Australia, diversity in all forms is embraced within these sectors, and that policies and strategies are culturally appropriate. Associations that prioritise inclusion can rest assured that they will find a welcoming environment which aligns with their values, as well as partners with whom they can contribute to meaningful change within these sectors.
To learn more about Sydney’s aerospace and defence expertise, and how associations can leverage it to enhance their events, download BESydney’s free eBook here.