In this episode, Grant McHerron talks with Christopher Rule, the General Manager for Defence, Security and Resilience at GME, about navigating the defence industry landscape and the government's push for support sovereign capability .
We begin our discussion by exploring GME’s products, services, and clients, including their three-pillar business model of engineering and advanced manufacturing services, partnerships with US-based cybersecurity firms, and acquisition of Eylex for defence capabilities. We examine the sourcing of their components, noting that strict requirements often necessitate international suppliers despite Australia's sovereign manufacturing focus. Our discussion also explores government initiatives supporting this goal, such as Defence Industrial Grants helping diversification into defence, and the Advanced Capability Investment Fund (ACIF) encouraging private investment.
We wrap up by assessing the gap that medium-sized companies experience when trying to break into the defence industrial base, and the type of support they need to do so.
Links:
GME Defence Products and Services
https://www.gme.net.au/au/defence/
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Hosted by Grant McHerron
Producer: Steve Visscher
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