Australian defence companies joining JOSCAR supply chain

Five Australian Defence companies will join the new JOSCAR supply chain system as part of reforms to industry procurement that will reduce SME costs and red tape. JOSCAR was launched in June 2024 and has since been adopted by the Commonwealth’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group and eleven Primes amidst strong support from across the broader $10 billion Defence industry. Shaun Barrett, Chair of the JOSCAR Governance Group in Australia, said five new companies would also join the program to ensure their supplier networks received the benefits flowing through the JOSCAR roll out. “JOSCAR is by the industry, for the industry, so it’s wonderful to see 1,000 suppliers already qualified on the platform, opening the doors for them to work with Defence and any of the Primes,” said Barrett, who is Supply Chain Director at BAE Systems Australia. The latest buyers to join JOSCAR in Australia, Northrop Grumman Australia, QinetiQ, Kongsberg Defence Australia, HII and Austal, are excited about the prospect of lower costs, increased efficiency and reduced red tape for SMEs. The launch of JOSCAR, a new supply chain system reducing SME costs and compliance burden, has gained broad support from the Australian Defence industry. In its first six months, the ‘one to many’ solution has been adopted by the Australian Department of Defence and 11 Primes, with rapid community growth. “Defence is pleased to be working with the JOSCAR Australia community to streamline procurement and contracting practices and reduce unnecessary burden on suppliers,” said  Chris Deeble, Deputy Secretary, Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) at the Australian Department of Defence. The companies now using the platform and represented on the JOSCAR Governance Group include BAE Systems Australia, Boeing Defence Australia, Babcock, Lockheed Martin Australia, Raytheon Australia, Saab Australia, Kongsberg, QinetiQ Australia, HII, Northrop Grumman and Austal. “JOSCAR  will enable Northrop Grumman to access Australian Suppliers through one platform and provide them with tangible opportunities to establish sovereign capabilities for the benefit of the Australian industrial base,” said Deanne Barnett, Managing Director, Northrop Grumman. Reducing supplier information collection and maintenance costs is a major benefit, says Clare Little, Commercial and Supply Chain Director at QinetiQ. “Implementing JOSCAR will streamline our supply chain due diligence and reduce costs, making it easier for our more than 1,300 suppliers. This empowers them to work more efficiently with us while enhancing their own capabilities and driving mutual growth.” “Joining JOSCAR strengthens HII’s ability to collaborate within the supply chain community in Australia and globally. This partnership will support sovereign industry capabilities and drive growth in Australia’s Defence sector, enhancing HII’s work with current suppliers and facilitating new partnerships,” commented Michael Lempke, President, Global Security Group at HII Mission Technologies division. John Fry, Managing Director at Kongsberg Defence Australia, welcomes increased supply chain visibility. “JOSCAR is providing our sourcing team access to the widening qualified Defence supplier community, proving itself to be an important tool when looking for new capabilities in supply chain expansion.” Austal’s Head of Strategic Supply Chain, Brent Carey said joining the JOSCAR community reflects Austal’s commitment to fostering stronger relationships with suppliers and industry partners, streamlining processes, and contributing to the growth of sovereign capabilities.  “The adoption of JOSCAR represents an important step forward for Austal in aligning with best practices across the Defence sector. We look forward to working alongside our peers to maximise the platform’s potential and drive continuous improvement in supply chain management.” The response from the Australian SME community has been overwhelmingly positive. Defence Industry Specialist Matthew Simpson at Brennan praised the exceptional support from Hellios. “Thanks to JOSCAR, demonstrating compliance is now a weight off my mind. I can easily access our documentation and receive reminders to act should documents be nearing expiry.” For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Group Sales Director Simon Hadfield at [email protected]