Defence has a long history as a major component of the Hunter economy, with a strong presence of defence establishments backed by a diverse range of innovative defence related manufacturers and service providers.

 

The region houses 15 defence establishments including the RAAF Base at Williamtown, the Lone Pine Barracks in the Singleton Military Area and an Army Base at Adamstown. Additionally, the Newcastle Harbour and shipyards have been used for naval vessel building and repair by a number of local businesses that have defence contracts as part of their revenue.

 

The Royal Australian Air Force has operated in the Hunter since the late 1930s when the Defence Practice Area was first designated at Williamtown. It is the Air Force's intent that RAAF Base Williamtown remain as the nation’s main fighter pilot training base, and it will house most of the planned F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning aircraft, resulting in many opportunities for local businesses. The operations at RAAF Williamtown inject over $1.6 billion per annum into the Hunter economy and is the largest single site employer in the Hunter.

 

The adjoining Williamtown Aerospace Centre (WAC) has positioned the Hunter as a major national and international centre for the aerospace and aviation industry. The employment capacity of the WAC site is projected as more than 9,000, and the potential income effect is estimated to be around $250 million.