Prominence was engaged by the Australian subsidiary of a major US defence contractor to assess the feasibility of establishing a sovereign support model for an advanced self-protection system. This followed the withdrawal of overseas logistics and through life support, creating a need to determine whether an Australian-based solution could meet operational requirements while aligning with Defence’s sovereign capability priorities.
We worked with the client and the relevant CASG Systems Program Office to define the scope and test assumptions as the study progressed. The team brought together engineering inputs, commercial data, and workforce considerations to build a realistic picture of what in-country support would involve. Throughout the engagement, assumptions were actively validated with stakeholders to ensure the emerging model reflected operational and program realities.
The study developed and evaluated a domestic sustainment strategy, considering factors such as local technical capability, availability of suitable facilities, cost, risk, commercial arrangements with the overseas provider, export‑control constraints (including ITAR and European legislation), schedule implications and operational benefits. Prominence structured the analysis to provide a clear evidence-base for decision‑making, ensuring that sustainment options were assessed against both Defence requirements and the prime’s commercial and contractual context.
The findings showed that an Australian based support solution was achievable, with a clear pathway to implementation. At the same time, the work highlighted ongoing challenges, particularly around access to specialist workforce and technical expertise that will need to be addressed to sustain the capability over time. The project provided a practical evidenced base to inform both client and Defence decision-making, contributing to broader policy and capability discussions around sovereign sustainment of advanced systems. It reinforced the importance of aligning strategic intent with delivery realities across workforce, industry capacity, and support system design.
