First Nations-owned cybersecurity firm Secure State Consultants has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a global aerospace and defence company to strengthen its Australian defence capability.

The agreement with Safran Group, which develops aircraft propulsion systems, aviation equipment, navigation and surveillance technologies, was formalised during this week’s Land Forces event.

Under the MOU, Secure State, which operates from the Tonsley Innovation District in Adelaide, will provide specialist expertise to support Safran in enhancing its cyber resilience, security posture and capability within the Australian operating environment.

This includes the design and implementation of fit-for-purpose secure ICT environments and infrastructure supporting sensitive and classified information, all tailored specifically to suit Safran’s Australian operational and engineering requirements.

Secure State co-founder Luke Smith said the MOU reflects the increasing importance of strong local partnerships in building resilient defence capability.

“Defence capability today extends well beyond the platform itself. The security of the organisations, systems, information, networks and supply chains supporting those platforms is fundamental to Australia’s defence resilience,” Mr Smith said.

“This MOU provides a framework for Secure State to bring our specialist knowledge of the Australian defence environment to Safran and support the continued enhancement of its local capability.

“We understand the operational, technical and regulatory environment Australian defence organisations work within, including the requirements associated with secure and classified environments. Our role is to translate that complexity into practical technical outcomes that allow organisations to operate securely and with confidence.”

Safran Group was founded in France in 2005 and operates in Australia through its Sydney-based subsidiary. CEO Peter Harris said working with organisations that understand the Australian defence environment, including the technical and security requirements associated with sensitive and classified systems, is important to building the company’s secure and sustainable capability in Australia.

“The MOU with Secure State strengthens our access to specialist Australian cybersecurity expertise and supports our commitment to continually enhancing our local capability,” Mr Harris said.

“The ability to combine strong security controls with the specialised technology required by our engineering teams is critical, and we look forward to continuing to develop our relationship with Secure State.”

Founded in 2021, Secure State Consultants works extensively with organisations operating across defence, manufacturing, government and critical infrastructure, providing cybersecurity, managed IT, governance and risk, penetration testing, security compliance and advisory services.

It is among the 150-plus organisations that operate from the Tonsley Innovation District, one of South Australia’s leading innovation and advanced manufacturing precincts with expertise spanning from defence and cybersecurity to renewable energy, health technology, education and research.

Secure State is also among 60 organisations represented on the South Australia – The Defence State stand at Land Forces 2026, the region’s premier event for the land defence sector.