Defence Minister Marise Payne signalled a new era in relations between the government and the local industry when she opened CEA Technologies' $1.8 million extension in Fyshwick on Friday.

CEA, which employs 320 people and expects to employ 400 by 2018, turns over $120 million annually producing its revolutionary CEAFAR phased-array radar system, which has already been fitted to four of the Royal Australian Navy's Anzac-class frigates.

The company's new building is one of the larger investments in Australian defence industry capability in half a decade due to the uncertainty over the future of some projects, and what critics have described as an "off-the-shelf" acquisition mentality that rewarded foreign suppliers at the expense of local innovators.

Although Senator Payne did not comment on the likely release date of the white paper, which had been expected at the end of October 2015, she did say it would reward innovation.

"[The] paper, which will not only outline the key part Australian industry can play in research, innovation and development, will also reset the relationship between industry and defence as we move to an environment where industry truly is considered a fundamental input to capability," she said.

Senator Payne cited the results achieved by the close working relationship between Defence and CEA as an example of what could be done.

"A large part of CEA's success story has been due to a positive and effective ongoing collaboration between Defence and CEA over the past 15 years," she said.

"Defence needed an anti-ship missile defence capability for the Anzac-class frigates but couldn't find an existing product line that would be suitable for that-sized ship. CEA's active phased-array radar architecture showed outstanding potential as a possible solution for the Anzac class and indeed beyond."

The technology was developed into a "mature capability" within eight years.

"Two weeks ago marked a significant milestone for the CEA team with the 100th phased-array radar face being produced right here in this [new] facility," she said.

Senator Payne said CEA had achieved performance results that went beyond expectations and the team could be proud of the outcomes.

"We are continuing that very close developmental relationship through the Australia-US phased-array radar project, the Anzac Class Air Search Radar Replacement Project and the future frigate project."

Defence and CEA are also exploring the use of the technology in the army and air force spheres.

A practical example of this work was on display on Friday in the form of the company's "Ground-Based Multi-Mission Radar".

Designed to fit the space of a standard shipping container and capable of being mounted on a large truck, the GBMMR takes the phased-array radar technology originally developed for maritime use into the land warfare domain.

This is just one of the results of the CEAFAR Phased Array Radar Land Environment Transition Project partly funded through a $2.54 million federal grant announced by then defence materiel minister Jason Clare in April 2012.

Such units would be networked with weapons systems and high-capacity communications links as part of the networked battle space concept.

"It is a possible solution for future ground-based air defence programs," CEA chief executive Merv Davis said.

"There was a program referred to as Land 19, which I would expect to see revisited in the new white paper."

Mark Foster, the company's business development director, said while defence programs "always take a number of years" it would be technically possible to have the units in production in 18 months if the opportunity arose.