Defence aims to demonstrate its capacity for all arms to cooperate with state and federal agencies in July exercise.
The Australian Defence Force will test its ability to respond to domestic threats and protect critical infrastructure & national resources as part of an all-arms exercise held across North Queensland and Western Australia next month.
The ADF’s Cyber Command will join the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Command for Exercise Austral Shield, which will see more than 1500 personnel engaging alongside representatives from state and federal agencies between July 3 and July 19.
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Director-General Joint Collective Training, Commodore Phillipa Hay, said such an exercise helped government agencies become more prepared to respond to threats to the community and operate together in high-pressure situations.
“Exercises like Austral Shield ensure the ADF remains ready, agile and integrated, capable of responding to a wide range of contingencies in Australia,” Commodore Hay said.
“As the 2026 National Defence Strategy highlights, Australia faces a more unpredictable security environment, requiring greater preparedness and resilience.
“Testing our ability to integrate alongside state and federal agencies will enable us to achieve a whole-of-government approach to crisis response and preparedness, including the protection of critical infrastructure.”=
Cyber Command was established in 2024 as a component within the Joint Capabilities Group.
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David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.