Supporting Australian Defence  | GHD

Supporting Australian Defence - Trusted integrator connecting Defence strategy and capability

Accelerating acquisition, sustainment, and through-life support

Australia’s Defence capability programs are becoming larger, faster, and more interconnected. This is placing increasing pressure on the way acquisition and sustainment are governed, coordinated, and assured. 

In this environment, CASG requires delivery models that reduce risk, improve predictability, and integrate specialist capability, without fragmenting accountability.  

For decades, GHD has delivered complex, secure, and mission-critical outcomes for Defence - supporting Australia’s sovereign capability, regional partnerships, and operational readiness. 

Through a partner-enabled model, GHD is ready to work with Defence as a trusted integrator – connecting Defence capability across acquisition, sustainment, and through-life support. 

Our approach will elevate delivery confidence across complex acquisition and sustainment programs as the prime integrator, responsible for coordinating, governing, and assuring the performance of the broader delivery ecosystem on behalf of Defence.  

For Defence, this means: 

A single point of accountability to manage interfaces and delivery risk across the ecosystem 
Reduced coordination, governance and integration effort required from CASG 
Access to best-in-class capability delivered through trusted partners—without duplication 
Greater delivery confidence with integrated, whole-of-program oversight with clear commercial and schedule control and end-to-end risk ownership, independent assurance and governance in classified environments 
End-to-end program support from digital engineering and integration through to test, trials, verification and certification 
Flexible workforce capability with embedded teams and surge capacity to support evolving Defence needs

Case studies

Modern building entrance with covered walkway and white bollards at dusk

Fort Wainwright combat readiness facility

A 115,000 sq ft facility integrates combat simulation, SCIF vault areas and communications infrastructure for harsh arctic conditions. Designed for up to 300 soldiers, it was delivered under budget.

See how complex training delivery
was achieved ➜

Contemporary residential apartments with timber slat facades and landscaped paths

Defence School of Signals accommodation

Integrating 216 units within Defence training infrastructure required balancing site constraints with living, learning and operational needs, while enabling future stages without disrupting Defence activities.

Explore how Defence operations
shaped design ➜

Aerial view of large industrial facility by the ocean with parking lots

Integrated design for naval manufacturing

Defence security and access control requirements shaped a facility designed for heavy modules and tandem crane lifts, while balancing operational performance and stringent Australian Standard deflection limits.

See how complex requirements
were integrated ➜

Person wearing high visibility vest writing on a tablet

Defence safety assurance modernisation

Manual spreadsheets and Word forms limited visibility and slowed monitoring. A mobile, cloud-based tool now enables real-time capture, automated reports and dashboards to support monitoring and action.

See how real-time data improves
monitoring ➜

Amphibious landing ships and military vehicles positioned on a sandy beach

Aligning complex Defence delivery programs

Evolving requirements, multiple stakeholders and complex approvals can slow delivery. Integrated governance strengthened alignment across planning, design and delivery, supporting more confident decision-making.

Explore the approach behind reduced
delivery risk ➜

Amphibious landing craft transporting vehicles from sea to shore.

Turning evolving requirements into delivery

Aligning operational needs, security constraints and stakeholder inputs required a coordinated delivery model. Better visibility of risks and dependencies strengthened delivery certainty and decision-making.

See how complexity was brought
together ➜

Aerial view of an industrial port with warehouses and wharves beside blue water

Accelerating critical Defence capability

Delivering specialised infrastructure while capability requirements continued to evolve created significant complexity. Integrated planning and approvals helped reduce risk and support delivery confidence.

Discover the path to delivery
readiness ➜

Waterfront buildings and open lawn with ships anchored offshore at sunrise

Supporting Defence through better asset insight

When asset condition and maintenance risks are unclear, informed decision-making becomes harder. Evidence-based insights improved visibility, prioritisation and confidence in long-term sustainment planning.

See how evidence-based insights
informed decisions ➜

Submarine surfaced in open water beneath a cloudy sky.

De-risking a regulated Defence program

Early requirements capture, stakeholder engagement and clear approvals pathways helped reduce ambiguity and improve alignment across stakeholders, supporting more confident decision-making and delivery certainty.

Learn what enabled clearer approvals
pathways ➜

What powered GHD’s AUD 3 billion year

Explore how our people, clients and integrated solutions drove a record year of growth and impact in 2025.

View the Year in Review

Connect with us

Melissa Mailler - Assistant Defence Sector Lead

Start the conversation

Tell us about your project or capability needs—we’ll be in touch.