Defence sourcing, quick answers
- Can defence work be sourced overseas?
- Non-controlled components (brackets, enclosures, general hardware, vehicle sub-assemblies) are routinely sourced overseas with full material and dimensional traceability. Controlled technical data, weapons systems parts and ITAR/DEC-listed items should not go offshore, and we will say so upfront.
- What does GSN offer for controlled defence work?
- For controlled or IP-sensitive work we route the entire program through McIver Engineering in Sydney, our sister business established 1947. Onshore CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding and assembly with full documentary traceability.
- Do you support the Defence Industry Security Program?
- GSN itself does not hold DISP membership at this time. For work requiring a DISP-membered prime contractor or a Certified Prime, we will introduce you to an appropriate partner rather than take a program we cannot properly service.
- What quality documentation is typical?
- EN 10204 3.1 material certificates, first-article inspection reports, CMM dimensional reports, weld procedure and welder qualifications to AS/NZS 1554, NDT reports, surface finish reports and full lot traceability.
/ Industries / Defence
Defence Supply Chain
Sourcing, Australia.
Two clear paths. Non-controlled parts sourced overseas with full traceability. Controlled and IP-sensitive work handled onshore through McIver Engineering in Sydney, our sister business, established 1947.
/ Planning the program
Components, materials and compliance.
The published scope here is deliberately limited to non-controlled items such as vehicle brackets, mounts, enclosures, machined housings, fabricated frames, cable trays, custom fasteners, ground support equipment and workshop tooling. Materials and processes may include certified metals, CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding and protective finishes. Documentation can include EN 10204 3.1 material certificates, first-article inspection reports, coordinate measuring machine reports, weld procedures and welder qualifications to AS/NZS 1554, non-destructive testing, surface finish records and lot traceability. Controlled technical data, weapons-system components and work requiring Defence Industry Security Program membership remain outside Global Supply Network's current offshore scope.
ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 in context.
ISO 9001 certifies a supplier's quality management system, not the finished part. It indicates documented procedures for non-conformance, corrective action, supplier management and performance review, but it does not replace first-article inspection, dimensional evidence or traceability. ISO 13485 is specifically for medical-device manufacturing and adds requirements around risk management, validation and traceability. It is not a general defence credential. Global Supply Network is not ISO 9001 certified. Where a supplier certificate is relevant, its issuing body, number, current status and scope should be verified against the public register. Read the full ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 supplier guide for the distinction.
What it actually costs to land.
An ex-works quote excludes many costs between the supplier and an Australian receiving point. The landed total can include export packing, inland origin freight, ocean or air freight, marine insurance, tariff-dependent customs duty, GST, brokerage, quarantine, terminal handling, de-vanning and final delivery. Tooling, rework, scrap, urgent freight, inventory held against long lead times, currency movement and program-management time can also affect the outcome. These costs should be modelled before an offshore path is approved, especially where documentation or inspection holds could delay release. The landed-cost guide for imported machined parts sets out the line items used for comparison.
Offshore, onshore, or both?
Non-controlled, stable and repeatable components may suit offshore production. Controlled technical data, proprietary geometry, urgent requirements, critical final features and inspection can remain onshore. That split protects sensitive work without forcing every general component into the same production path. Global Supply Network manages eligible offshore sourcing, while McIver Engineering in Sydney is the onshore option for CNC machining, fabrication, welding and assembly. The guide to hybrid offshore and onshore manufacturing explains how to assign each step according to risk, timing and production volume.
/ Approach
Typical parts sourced.
Vehicle brackets, mounts and sub-assemblies, IP-rated electrical enclosures, machined housings, fabricated frames, cable trays, non-critical hardware, custom fasteners, ground support equipment and general workshop tooling. Anything not carrying controlled technical data or falling under ITAR/DEC restrictions.
Quality & documentation.
Every defence-adjacent program carries full material traceability (EN 10204 3.1), FAIR, CMM reports, weld qualifications to AS/NZS 1554, NDT and surface finish reports. Supplier NDAs signed before drawings leave our office. Master Services Agreement recommended for repeat programs.
Onshore-only through McIver.
Controlled technical data and IP-sensitive fabrication run entirely through McIver Engineering in Sydney. CNC, fabrication, welding and assembly, no data leaves Australia.
When we say no.
Programs requiring DISP-membered prime status, weapons systems componentry or flight-critical aerospace are outside our current scope. We will say so upfront and, where useful, introduce an appropriate partner.
/ Related
Defence brief?
Tell us if it is controlled work. We will steer it onshore.