RAAF Super Hornets in Darwin during the biennial Exercise Pitch Black. Photo: ADF.
The annual NT Defence Week has kicked off in the Top End, with several conferences and events planned in and around Darwin to support Australia’s growing defence presence in the region.
Supported by the Territory Government’s Defence NT, Defence Week began on Monday, 28 April, and runs until Friday, 2 May.
This year’s theme is ‘’Uplifting Industry Across the North to Meet Capability Demands of the ADF, Allies and Partners’’. The government said the theme reflected the Territory’s growing role in enabling national defence readiness and regional cooperation.
It said Defence Week was a vital platform for showcasing the Territory’s strategic value and its ability to meet the evolving capability demands of Australia, its allies, and its partners.
Key events include Australian Defence Magazine’s (ADM) Northern Australia Defence Summit – a two-day forum featuring senior ADF decision-makers, government leaders and strategic analysts, as well as a program of events designed to strengthen and advance the Territory’s defence industry capability.
These include integrated industry engagement through symposia, industry tours, and meet-the-buyer sessions, and networking opportunities such as the Parliament House Welcome Reception and the Chief Minister’s Defence Industry Excellence Awards.
Chief Minister and Minister for Defence NT Lia Finocchiaro said Northern Australia continued to prove its capacity for major investment, infrastructure delivery, and national security leadership.
“The Northern Territory’s strategic location in the Indo-Pacific is a key driver of growth in our defence sector,” she said.
“This week is about strengthening partnerships with major defence contractors, both domestic and international, to deliver long-term benefits for the Territory as we continue rebuilding our economy.
“With over 1600 event registrations and more than 200 businesses represented, NT Defence Week 2025 reflects the growing national and global interest in the Northern Territory’s defence capability and potential.”
