The five-domains update

By Linus Cohen, Astrid Young, Alice Wai

Sea state

An Australian contingent participated in Exercise Bersama Shield on 17-22 April, joining with forces from Britain, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore in a simulated defence operation around the Malay Peninsula. The exercise focused on integrated maritime and air power among the partner states. It’s one of two annual exercises held under the Five Power Defence Arrangements—one of Australia’s oldest regional security frameworks, through which the Australian Defence Force has maintained a forward posture at Penang in Malaysia for decades.

Joint exercises between the United States and the Philippines began on 21 April. About 9,000 US and 5,000 Philippine personnel—along with an Australian contingent of 200—took part in the Balikatan exercises. The exercises centred around testing anti-ship missile systems and countering amphibious attacks on islands. The collaboration was both a show of US commitment and a pointed message from Manila, considering the Philippines’ history of tense standoffs with China over outlying shoals.

Flight path

The local government of Playford in Adelaide’s northern suburbs has proposed rezoning 400 hectares of land adjoining RAAF Base Edinburgh, with the intention to support aerospace and defence industries. The proposal is still in the early stages, and a lot of preparatory study is still to be done. However, the state government has demonstrated serious buy-in: it expects the Deep Maintenance and Modification Facility for P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, currently being built next to the base, to catalyse a local boom in the defence sector after it opens in 2026.

The US has approved a potential $1.8 billion sale of up to 400 advanced air-to-air missiles to Australia. The proposed sale includes the latest missile variant, the AIM-120D-3, currently only employed by the US Air Force and select allied nations. The acquisition would strengthen Australia’s military presence and broader regional defence strategy.

Rapid fire

Lockheed Martin’s precision strike missile has been successfully integrated with a US Army M270A2 tracked launcher vehicle for the first time. This is a promising step toward field deployment, not only for the US’s army, but also for Australia’s. Australia has been co-funding the missile program for several years while moving to acquire HIMARS rocket artillery vehicles to fire the new missile. The missile’s projected 400-kilometre range will dramatically increase the army’s ability to strike targets from land—a capability previously limited to short-range anti-tank missiles and towed artillery.

Tasmanian firm Elphinstone is set to build hulls for the army’s Redback infantry fighting vehicles following its signing of a $90 million contract with Korean defence manufacturer Hanwha. Previously known primarily for manufacturing equipment and vehicles for the mining sector, Elphinstone seems poised to become a key player in the Australian defence industrial base. This is the company’s second major contract with Hanwha’s local subsidiary to co-manufacture a next-generation army capability, the first covering hulls and turret structures for the Huntsman self-propelled artillery system.

Final frontier

Australian space capability development program iLAuNCH Trailblazer has signed a memorandum of understanding with US-based Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Announced at the 40th Space Symposium, the agreement aims to enhance cooperation in space technology and cybersecurity by establishing a framework to share cyber threat data, co-host events and support joint research. The partnership is expected to strengthen Australia’s role in the global space industry and safeguard critical infrastructure from emerging threats in the space domain.

The Australian army will fund research led by the Defence Science and Technology Group to develop quantum technology capable of linking satellites with optical ground stations, according to a 14 April statement from Defence. This is a key component of a quantum-secured timing network, one of the priorities for next-generation capabilities identified in the 2024 National Defence Strategy. The technology will allow the ADF to navigate in contemporary combat environments where GPS signals are often jammed.

Wired watchtower

On 26 March, the ADF’s Cyber Command celebrated its first anniversary. The command has been a pivotal force in Australia’s defence, unifying key cyber units to meet the growing and borderless threats in the fifth warfighting domain. Major General Robert ‘Doc’ Watson emphasised the urgency of its mission: ‘The threat is real, persistent and current. In the cyber domain, we are in conflict now.’ The command supports multi-domain operations, enabling the ADF to defend networks critical to national security and future military readiness.

A recent report from cybersecurity firm Armis revealed that Australia is increasingly targeted by nation-state cyber actors, with 56 percent of Australian respondents having already fallen victim to state-backed cyber activity—more than 10 percent higher than the global average. The report highlights artificial intelligence as a key driver of these threats, enabling smaller nations and non-state actors to launch higher-level cyberattacks.