Australia’s Defence landscape is undergoing a significant transformation as both external threats and technological advancements push the nation towards a more resilient and digitally-driven Defence force.
With cyber threats on the rise—Australia recorded a 13% increase in reported cyber incidents from 2022 to 2023—the importance of robust digital infrastructure has never been clearer.
In this context, the Department of Defence has outlined its Defence Digital Strategy & Roadmap for 2024, positioning itself to better respond to these evolving challenges. The strategy aims to build a connected, cloud-first ADF, focusing on agility, interoperability, and cybersecurity.
For over five years, Kinetic IT has supported the Department of Defence as an ICT partner, delivering critical services like the 24/7 global ICT Service Desk and Service Integration and Management (SIAM), helping ensure the ADF remains at the forefront of technological capability.
Defence Digital Strategy & Roadmap: Strengthening Capabilities Through Innovation
The Defence Digital Strategy & Roadmap takes a multi-layered approach to transform Defence’s digital capabilities, focusing on infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, and fostering sovereign technological solutions.
Best-in-Class APS/ADF Workforce
The Department of Defence is committed to empowering its APS and ADF employees to make critical architectural, technical, strategic, and Commonwealth decisions. By rationalising the insource/outsourced model, the department is identifying roles that should be held by Commonwealth employees and those more appropriate for outsourcing. The Department is also focused on increasing the effectiveness of its workforce and positioning itself as an attractive option for those commencing their careers in STEM, particularly in contemporary technical environments. Additionally, the department is adopting agile procurement methods to contract for outcomes that drive innovation and success.
Best-in-Class Global Platforms
The ADF will be migrating to a multi-cloud environment to enhance flexibility, operational efficiency, and rapid deployment of digital capabilities. In 2023 alone, Australia’s cloud market grew by 20%, reflecting a broader trend across both public and private sectors towards cloud-based solutions. This critical evolution to the information platform will require expert service management to phase out legacy systems and manage technical obsolescence, and guide the cloud transformation.
Best-in-Class Sovereign Capabilities
Australia’s sovereign tech market has seen substantial growth, with a 15% increase in government spending on homegrown technology solutions in 2023. This initiative aligns Defence with the broader national trend of investing in sovereign capabilities to ensure Australia’s self-reliance in critical sectors. Defence will work with industry partners to rapidly deliver solutions to business problems, evaluating against security postures and use-cases unique to the Department. A newly formed incubation branch is responsible for evaluating best-in-class, sovereign technology, and evaluations completed by the branch are used to inform technology choices made by the department in the delivery of its objectives.
In Short
By placing equal importance on workforce development, technological infrastructure, and sovereign capabilities, the Defence Digital Strategy & Roadmap sets the stage for a secure, agile future. It’s a blueprint for a digitally empowered ADF, ready to face emerging threats while fostering a strong foundation of local technological expertise.
By Julian Singson, Account Operations, Defence & National Security, Kinetic IT
