Defence

For more than 40 years, Laing O’Rourke has delivered infrastructure for the Department of Defence in Australia and Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom (UK), that supports critical missions to protect the security and prosperity of each nation.

Our values-based approach, founded on care, integrity and courage, aligns with and reinforces the Australian Defence Force’s and the UK Armed Service’s values and behaviours.

A trusted partner for Defence

We combine the right people, thinking, and technology to deliver high-quality, value-for-money infrastructure and facilities for Australian and British soldiers, naval personnel, aviators, and defence civilians to live, work, and thrive. This is demonstrated through our history of delivering naval, air force, and army infrastructure across Australia and the UK - including major base upgrades, submarine infrastructure, accommodation, training, maintenance, manufacturing, counter-intelligence, and cyber security facilities.

We prioritise and respect veterans and reserve service. We have a long-standing history of supporting the armed forces community with employment and the transition to civilian life. We’re proud to be a signatory to the UK Armed Forces Covenant, recently re-affirming our pledge to uphold our principles of supporting those who have served, through the employment of veterans and support to reservists and military families.

We recognise the importance of these projects in supporting local jobs and employment, particularly in regional and remote locations. Our Australia-Singapore Military Training Initiative Facilities project was delivered with more than 80 percent local participation, supporting the local economy in regional Queensland.

We have deep experience in nuclear construction, quality assurance and compliance with nuclear safety and regulatory provisions. Our nuclear portfolio includes projects ranging from our work on Hinkley Point C to the construction of the plutonium manufacturing facility in Sellafield.

Major General Roger Noble AO DSC CSC (Retired) is Laing O’Rourke’s General Manager – Defence in Australia. Holding the Order of Australia, Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) and Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia), twice awarded the US Legion of Merit and bar, Major General Noble entered the Royal Military College as a cadet in 1984 graduating in 1987. He is also a member of the first graduating class of the Australian Defence Force Academy 1986. Roger ensures we continue to align our capacity and capability with the requirements of the Defence sector.

Adam Birley is a former Royal Engineer Officer who led the Army's largest deployable regiment, 39 Engineer Regiment. The regiment’s remit was the construction and repair of critical infrastructure overseas. Prior to that, he audited British military operations as part of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff's internal audit team, focusing on the Defence Nuclear Enterprise. He served four tours of operational duty in the Middle East, earning the MBE for training Iraqi Forces.