A Defence-oriented Region

The Hunter and Central Coast Region is defence-oriented with the location of RAAF Williamtown with Air Combat Group and Surveillance and Response Group (SRG). Other elements include Singleton's Lone Pine Army Barracks School of Infantry (SOI) and the Special Forces Training Centre (SFTC), Primes (including BAE Systems, Thales, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Forgacs). There are also many Defence capable SMES, technically capable people and supporting organisations in the region.

Local industry, community and government are supportive and both understand and enjoy the benefits of Defence in the area. The University of Newcastle, TAFE and schools are based on supporting engineering, commercial, industrial and Defence-focused education and training.

This creates the foundations for an area that readily meets the requirements and ethos for the development and expansion of the Defence industry.  

Contact Defence: http://www.defence.gov.au/footer/contacts.htm

Hunter and Central Coast Region

Hunter

View the Hunter's regional profile here 

• The Hunter is one of Australia's economic powerhouses approximately 2 hours drive north of Sydney and covers an area of 31,000 square kilometres.
• With a population of around  644,279, it is home to one of Australia's largest regional populations, the nation's oldest wine growing area, the world's largest coal export port, Australia's equine capital and is the energy powerhouse of the state.
• Its major industries include manufacturing, engineering, coal and mining, viticulture and winemaking, power generation, agribusiness, equine, information communications technology, tourism, health, education, Defence and aerospace.
• The Hunter covers 11 local government areas - Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Maitland, Cessnock, Upper Hunter, Gloucester, Dungog, Singleton, Muswellbrook and the Great Lakes - where residents enjoy employment choice, the opportunity to live by a beach or in a rural setting, with excellent health and education facilities.
• The Hunter is undergoing an impressive period of sustained economic growth, with a growing range of investors and businesspeople recognising the powerful competitive advantages the Region offers.

Central Coast 

View the Central Coast's regional profile here 

• The Central Coast has a population of over 316,008, covering an area of 1,854 sq km and is only 60 minutes drive north of Sydney, the Central Coast stretches along the Tasman Sea from the Hawkesbury River in the south to the shores of Lake Macquarie in the north and west to the Dooralong and Yarramalong Valleys.
• Its industries include warehousing and logistics, food processing, manufacturing, building and building products, health and community services, tourism, information and communications technology (ICT).
• Its location, advanced infrastructure, skilled workforce and attractive lifestyle make the Central Coast a viable business alternative to Sydney for many major industries.

Current Defence Infrastructure

The region’s capacity for developing further defence industry can be initially assessed with respect to:

• The magnitude and range of defence force infrastructure and ADF personnel within the Region
• The number, scale and breadth of activity within prime contractors to Defence within the Region
• The capability of Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to support Defence and Prime contractors

Defence activity within the region has an extensive history of completed defence contracts. The long-term demonstration of past performance and proven success is integral to the region’s capacity to win a greater share of defence expenditure in the future.

Defence force infrastructure and ADF personnel in the region

It is estimated that more than 4,000 Defence and contractor personnel are employed within the region. Supporting regionally-based and interstate troops is a significant level of defence-related infrastructure within the region.

RAAF Base Williamtown

View Williamtown RAAF Base's profile here

The Royal Australian Air Force's RAAF Base Williamtown is 30kms north of Newcastle. It is home to most of our Hornet and Hawk fighters and several headquarters:

• Surveillance and Response Group
  • No 41 Wing
    • No 3 Control and Reporting Unit - radar operations
    • Surveillance and Control Training Unit - sensor operations training
  • No 42 Wing - airborne early warning and control
    • No 2 Squadron - Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft
• Air Combat Group
  • No 78 Wing - operational training
    • No 76 Squadron - Hawk fighter trainer aircraft
    • No 2 Operational Conversion Unit - Hornet fighter training
    • Forward Air Control Development Unit - PC-9/A trainer aircraft
  • No 81 Wing - air superiority
    • No 3 Squadron - Hornet fighter aircraft
    • No 77 Squadron - Hornet fighter aircraft
• No 44 Wing Detachment Williamtown - air traffic control
• No 26 (City of Newcastle) Squadron - Air Force Reserve
• No 87 Squadron - photography
• Combat Support Unit Williamtown - base managers
• No 381 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron
• No 1 Airfield Operations Squadron - airfield engineering
• No 2 Air Transportable Health Squadron
• Joint Warfare, Doctrine and Training Centre (JWDTC) - strategy training

Singleton Military Area

• Lone Pine Army Barracks supports the School of Infantry (SOI) and the Special Forces Training Centre (SFTC). The base houses a permanent workforce of 371 personnel with a significant number of units visiting the Singleton Training Range.

Singleton Military Area Details 

Minor bases

• Bullecort Barracks (Adamstown)
• Army Reserve Multi-User Deport (MUD)
• Myambat is an explosive ordnance facility, operated by Thales for Joint Logistics Command

Defence regiments

The region is also home to the following regiments:

Unit                                                                  Location

12/16 Hunter River Lancers (HRL)                Muswellbrook, Erina, Rutherford

 Army cadets    Morisset                                  Rutherford, Toukley, Lake Macquarie

Navy cadets                                                    Newcastle

Air force cadets                                              Adamstown

Prime contractors

A number of prime contractors are located, and undertake a large proportion of their defence-related work, within the region. The Primes and the major projects for which they have recently been, or are currently responsible for, across the region are summarised below:

Regional SMEs (defence-related)

There are several SMEs who have completed Defence projects. They either work with or supply the capacity and have been identified to support and apply their capability to the requirements of Defence, directly, or more specifically through prime contractors or subcontractors. There are also other SMEs who have the capability to provide their services to Defence however they require additional Defence skills and knowledge to obtain Defence work. For the development and establishment of a larger defence industry within the region, capabilities need opportunities identified and the 'Defence' skilling of SMEs and people. Defence related SMEs in the region have provided and will continue to support various projects in the region and include:

Aerospace and JSF

Headquarters for the Air Force's Surveillance and Response Group, Air Combat Group and two training squadrons.

Successful Aerospace Projects

• Assembly of 21 Lead-in-Fighter (Hawk) aircraft for the RAAF.
• Upgrade of F/A 18 Hornet fighters
• Manufacture of Landing Gear Handling Fixture (LGHF) and other Ground Support Equipment for JSF.
• Establishment of a world class fighter pilot training and through life support facilities
• Provision of Communications-Electronics technologies and know-how to remediate Woomera Test Range, South Australia

Varley JSF LGHF

Current and Future Major Projects

• Home base and through life support of Hawk, Hornet and Wedgetail (AEW&C) aircraft
• The future home base of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)
• Williamtown Aerospace Park (WAP) is poised to become the Aerospace support hub of the Asia-Pacific employing over 3,000 people

Maritime Support

Port of Newcastle is the economic and trade centre for the Hunter Valley.

Succesful Major Maritime Projects

• Construction of six Huon Class Minehunter Coastal (MHC) vessels
• Manufacture of six landing craft for the ARMY
• Refurbishment and ongoing maintenance of serving RAN major fleet repairs
• Modification and refirbishment of Manoora and Kanimbla
• Manufacture of ANZAC Frigate Modules
• Manufacture of Nulka Missile Containers

Current and Future Major Projects

• Through life support to MHCs
• Manufacture of the blocks for the SEA4000 Air Warfare Destroyer program
• Refurbishment and ongoing maintenance of serving RAN major fleet repairs

 HMAS Ballarat - in Forgacs Floating Dock for maintenance

Forgacs Site Tomago

 Nulka Missile Firing

 Varley Nulka Missile - Containers

 AWD Modules - Forgacs

Maintenance of ROVs - ATSA

 ROV in Tank

Land Support

Singleton Military includes School of Infantry and Special Forces Training Centre.

Current and Future Major Projects

• $182M upgrade in progress
• Manufacture of Land vehicles and components for numerous Army projects including Project Overlander (Land 121)

SME Supporting Organisations

There are several government and industry bodies who support companies in the region including:

• Trade and Investment NSW
• HunterNet
• Industry Capability Network
• The Hunter Business Chamber
• Australian Industry Group
• Regional Development Australia

Defence Opportunities

The NSW government have developed industry hubs creating longer-term opportunities by developing defence capability hubs in areas aligned to both the State’s strengths and future opportunities.

New Air Combat Capability Opportunity

New Air Combat Capability – opportunities for NSW arising from the basing of the Joint Strike Fighter at RAAF Base in Williamtown.

Maritime Opportunities

Maritime Opportunity – to support development and sustainment of Naval capabilities around the Newcastle Port.