At the same time, Australia is making the biggest defense build-up in its history. It’s constructing the first dedicated forge outside the United States to manufacture 155mm M795 artillery ammunition. This effort is aimed at upgrading the M777A2 Light Towed Howitzer. The Australian government selected Thales in October 2024 to spearhead development of a domestic forging capability. The forge will be based in the creative regional town of Benalla, Victoria. This is a significant move for Australia’s growing military footprint.
Thales is a world leader in aerospace and military systems. Along with Lockheed Martin, they are the Australian Defence Force’s biggest partners on record. Their teamwork is a case study in the growing trend of bringing more of the domestic industry base into defense initiatives. As part of this initiative, the University of Sydney has entered into a formal strategic alliance with Thales Australia. Together, they work collaboratively to increase student research and career placement in engineering and robotics fields. This new alliance aims to create more educational opportunities while being responsive to our national defense priorities.
Australia’s role in the global arms trade goes well beyond its domestic capabilities. The country serves as a lynchpin to a coalition of partner nations. Combined, their businesses provide key components for the F-35 fighter jet program, and Israel is one of their biggest customers. Most importantly, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has gone on record assuring the public that Australia provides only “non-lethal” components for these planes.
This is hardly a new departure, in light of recent news that in December 2023 the US issued an export permit to. This notice authorizes the export of $147.5 million worth of 155mm projectiles to Israel. Backdoor deals leaked documents confirm that Australia has supplied or at least trans-shipped 68 separate shipments of F-35 parts to Israel. This transfer is occurring between October 2023 and September 2025. Taken together these revelations have cast a bright light on Australia’s arms trade practices and their dire implications.
AUS has been on the frontlines opposing the arms trade with Israel. This group preceded the National Union of Students (NUS) and has unequivocally made its position known. The group advanced seven pro-Palestinian motions. They called on Australia to stop all arms exports to Israel and urged Australian universities to sever ties with all corporations associated with the war. The referendum on these motions brought out just 5,295 registered voters. It passed overwhelmingly at all but the favorite’s home campus, where it received unanimous support.
James McVicar, NUS education officer and organizer of the vote, discussed the urgency of the moment.
“Our responsibility is to pile the pressure on our government and our universities and call out their complicity,” – James McVicar, NUS education officer.
This movement for change has been further energized by the recent wave of student-led activism for Palestinian rights. The Students for Palestine collective has engaged in regular protest actions against Israel’s military operations in Gaza since October 7, 2023, highlighting concerns over Australia’s role in the arms trade.
Warnings about relationships between postsecondary schools and defense contractors like RTX have recently emerged. Shovan Bhattarai is the co-convener of the University of Sydney Students for Palestine collective. He pointed out that the university has deep financial ties in companies manufacturing the weapons used against the people of Gaza.
“We know that the university has millions of dollars in investment ties with weapons companies which supply arms to the state of Israel,” – Shovan Bhattarai, co-convener of the University of Sydney Students for Palestine collective.
He further criticized the university’s practices related to student placements within these companies:
“And more horrifically, we also know that our university continues to get students here to do study for those weapons companies,” – Shovan Bhattarai.
At the heart of the contentious debate lies an ethical inquiry — what kind of universities should partner with defense companies like Raytheon? Luke Sheehy, Head of Universities Australia, defended these collaborations by stating:
“Australian universities undertake research and industry partnerships that serve the national interest, strengthen our sovereign capability and create opportunities for students and communities,” – Luke Sheehy, Head of peak tertiary body Universities Australia.
He cautioned that it is the universities who set their research and partnership priorities. In doing so, they rely on participatory governance processes and ethical frameworks, ensuring that they are aligned with community values.
Australia is in the process of revitalizing its military production base, including creating a new Benalla forge. Yet, the country finds itself in a deep dilemma: one where it must prioritize extending its national defense interests while responding to increasing alarm of its activities within the international arms trade. These issues necessarily coalesce, priming the ground to affect military policy directly. They send ripples of accountability throughout academia, awakening organized protest and activism among students to call for even more change.
