Land capability
In summary:
- Queensland is home to leading defence primes and SMEs who design, manufacture or sustain armoured and protected vehicles.
- The state has a growing network delivering advanced vehicle systems, including sensors, communications and autonomous technologies.
- Queensland has a strong regional presence that strengthens Queensland’s capacity to support Army operations and sustainment.
Queensland is a leading centre for Australia's land capability. It brings together a strong combination of advanced manufacturing, sustainment, testing, training, infrastructure and workforce development in a secure and trusted operating environment.
Queensland is home to many global defence leaders, including:
- Rheinmetall Defence Australia
- Thales Australia
- L3 Harris
- Rheinmetall Nioa Munitions
- Boeing Defence Australia
- Raytheon
Queensland is also supported by a network of SMEs with established supply chains, skilled workers and specialist infrastructure across land and aviation capability.
As Australia's largest vehicle-manufacturing sector, Queensland provides the industrial scale and expertise required to develop, manufacture and sustain advanced military capability. Australia’s land domain needs are supported with the Rheinmetall Defence Australia's Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence, Thales Australia's Bushmaster and Hawkei sustainment operations, and Boeing Defence Australia's communications and testing capabilities.
Aerospace
Boeing maintains the Australian Army’s CH-47F Chinook fleet in Townsville and supports the growing AH-64E Apache capability. The Townsville Aviation Training Academy, operated by Aviation Australia, will build the specialist maintenance workforce needed to support the Apache capability and strengthen Queensland’s defence aviation training and sustainment role.
Lockheed Martin has around 75 skilled maintenance, operations and training support employees supporting Army’s operating node for the UH-60M Black Hawks based at Swartz Barracks in Oakey.
Insitu Pacific in Brisbane supplies Army’s Integrator Tactical Uncrewed Aerial Systems and support services.
Workforce
Our workforce is reinforced through the size, innovation and capabilities of our defence-adjacent industries. For example, the mining industry has more than 26,000 skilled workers delivering critical heavy machinery operation, manufacturing and sustainment in some of Australia’s most remote locations and rugged conditions.
Queensland combines industrial scale with sovereign manufacturing capability. We host Australia’s largest vehicle manufacturing operations, such as Volvo Group at Wacol and the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program at Torbanlea. This program is building 65 new passenger trains for Queensland’s future rail network.
Littoral
The establishment of the Army’s Littoral Manoeuvre Group in Brisbane in March 2026, along with the planned basing of various vessels in south-east and northern Queensland, reinforces Queensland’s role in Australia’s evolving land and amphibious capability, enhancing the Army’s ability to deploy and sustain forces across coastal and island regions throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Training
Queensland offers a unique combination of extensive military training, aviation and workforce development capabilities. The state hosts some of Australia's largest Defence training environments, including the Shoalwater Bay, Cowley Beach and Townsville Field Training areas.
More information
Find more information on Queensland’s land capability:
- Rheinmetall Defence Australia's Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence
- Thales Australia's Bushmaster
- Boeing Defence Australia's communications and testing capabilities
- Volvo Group at Wacol
- Queensland Train Manufacturing Program at Torbanlea
- Army’s Littoral Manoeuvre Group
- Townsville Aviation Training Academy
- Aviation Australia – Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville
Last updated: 27 Aug 2026