Melbourne Hosts Land Forces 2024: Bridging Defence and Industry

Main image credit: Hadean

For three days in September the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre will become a hub for the international land defence community, with a focus on the capability Australia needs to ensure its security in increasingly uncertain times. 

From September 11 to 13, the Land Forces 2024 International Land Defence Exposition will combine a three-day conference program, a major industry exhibition featuring around 800 companies and formal networking events, offering a two-way flow of information around and between Defence and the industry that provides and sustains its capability.

Land Forces is held every two years, with the most recent edition attracting 20,000 total attendances, 810 participating exhibitor organisations from 25 nations, 40 conferences, symposia and presentations and 159 defence, government, industry and scientific delegations. 

The 2024 conference program will cover major themes of industry capability, innovation and sovereign capability, augmented by presentations and symposia from Australian defence companies, government agencies involved in acquisition programs and industry development, and a raft of exhibiting companies from Australia and around the world.

For Army and Defence, Land Forces offers a stage from which to inform industry on issues and capability needs and paint a picture of future battlefield priorities. It is also a rare opportunity for Army and the Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) to see what is new and innovative in industry, simply by walking the exhibition halls or receiving an industry briefing.​​​​​​​

As a confirmation of the event’s importance to Australia’s defence force, the Australian Army has announced that the 2024 Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition will once again host the Chief of Army Symposium (CAS 2024), Army’s signature event showcasing its commitment to innovation and fostering partnerships with Australia’s allies, partner forces and defence industry.

Hosted by Australia’s Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC, the annual Symposium has traditionally served to encourage innovators and thinkers, and to develop Army’s relationships with international counterparts through bilateral meetings. 

The 2023 Chief of Army Symposium included around 1500 Defence personnel, industry representatives and international partners, including 22 international delegations.  

“As a key supporter of Land Forces, the Australian Army is proud to host CAS 2024 on Thursday 12 September,” Lieutenant General Stuart said. 

“The CAS 2024 program aims to facilitate meaningful information exchange and foster a dynamic contest of ideas that challenges us to think differently. The Australian Army will also host the Army Innovation Day (AID) and Quantum Technology Challenge (QTC) Expositions over the first two days of Land Forces. These expos will showcase innovative concepts addressing current and future operational challenges and are open to all event attendees.” 

Justin Giddings, CEO of Land Forces 2024 organiser AMDA Foundation, said the Land Forces team would be honoured to once again host Army’s premier symposium. 

“At Land Forces 2022 Chief of Army spent considerable time walking the exhibition floor and meeting with a cross section of defence providers, showing great commitment to engaging with industry,” he said. 

“Engagement is the foremost goal of every Land Forces event, and hosting the Chief of Army Symposium will create opportunities for meaningful interaction at Land Forces 2024.” 

The event will also feature a specialist innovation awards program, with $120,000 in cash prizes across three categories. Finalists include a system to detect and localise unexploded ordnance in real time, a mixed reality simulator to train combat medics, and a transparent face protection system for troops facing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). 

The finalists will complete their submissions by pitching their innovation to an international audience of potential partners, investors and customers at Land Forces 2024, with the category winners announced onsite. 

The 2024 Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, from 11-13 September 2024.  

Register here: landforces.com.au/registration