Land Forces 2026: Innovation, Sovereign Capability and the People to Deliver It

Land Forces 2026 comes at an important time for Australia’s defence sector. The Australian Government’s 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology (IS&T) Strategy has sharpened the focus on autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, hypersonics, high-energy lasers and undersea warfare.

As these priorities move from strategy into programs and operational capability, they will also shape the skills and leadership Defence industry needs.

From innovation to capability

The Land Forces Innovation Pitchfest and Awards and Innovation Base will showcase emerging technologies and ideas from across Australian industry and research.

Among the Blue Sky Thinking finalists is Cyndr, in partnership with UNSW, whose work explores how early signals of future Defence capability can be identified across research, industry, procurement, funding and technology ecosystems.

Developments like these are changing the leadership requirements across the sector. Organisations need technical expertise, but they also need people who can translate emerging technology into practical outcomes, lead complex programs and work effectively across Defence, government and industry.

For executive search, this means looking beyond job titles and traditional career paths. Relevant leadership capability may sit within Defence, but it may also be found across technology, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, energy and other sectors dealing with similarly complex programs and operating environments.

The capability challenge goes beyond technology

Land Forces will also focus on the systems required to sustain Defence capability.

In “Fighting the Supply Chain: Advanced Analysis for Contested Logistics,” Anthony Ween and Tye Young of SPA Australia will examine how modelling can identify vulnerabilities, critical paths and potential points of failure in military supply chains supporting sustained operations in the Indo-Pacific.

The topic highlights an important part of sovereign capability. Australia needs the ability not only to develop and acquire capability, but to support and sustain it.

This brings greater importance to leadership across supply chain, operations, engineering, procurement, commercial functions, program delivery and advanced analytics. These are also areas where Defence organisations are competing with other industries for experienced talent.

People remain central to Defence strategy

RSL Australia’s session, “The Decisive Element: The Human Infrastructure Behind Australia’s Defence Strategy,” will bring the workforce challenge directly into the Land Forces program.

Australia is working towards a combined ADF and APS workforce of approximately 100,000 by 2040. The session will explore recruitment, wellbeing, communities, veterans and the broader workforce needed to support Australia’s Defence ambitions.

For industry, workforce planning needs to develop alongside capability planning.

Major Defence programs have long timeframes, while the pool of experienced executives and specialists can be limited. Understanding future leadership requirements early, mapping where that capability exists and considering talent from adjacent industries can give organisations more options than beginning a search only when a vacancy becomes critical.

Looking ahead to Land Forces 2026

Land Forces 2026 will bring together many sides of the same capability challenge: emerging technology, sovereign industry, contested logistics and the people needed to deliver and sustain them.

For executive search specialists working across Defence and adjacent sectors, these developments are also changing where leadership talent can be found and what organisations should look for when making senior appointments.

The next generation of Defence leaders may not all follow traditional Defence career paths. The ability to lead through complexity, work across government and industry, understand emerging technology and build high-performing teams will become increasingly valuable as Australia’s capability priorities evolve.

Land Forces 2026 takes place from 6–8 October. TESS Search Partners looks forward to connecting with Defence and industry leaders at the event and continuing the conversation around the leadership and specialist talent supporting Australia’s future Defence capability.