The government is set to invest in a new program to establish a sovereign capability for the manufacture of rocket motors for use in munitions for the ADF and for export.
The Government is seeking options from industry to establish a manufacturing complex to produce solid fuel rocket motors for some of the world’s most advanced missiles.
It’s expected this rocket motor complex will begin production by the end of the decade.
The Initial government investment will be $22 million over the next three years, boosting Australia’s advanced high-tech manufacturing sector and ADF long‑range strike capabilities.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said this was an endorsement of Australian ingenuity.
“Making solid rocket motors in Australia will build on Australia’s proud history as a manufacturing nation and contribute to a future made in Australia,” he said.
“This is another investment in a future made in Australia and the more than 100,000 Australians, including in regional Australia, that are benefiting from the Government’s commitment to grow our sovereign defence industry and sovereign industrial base.”
Last week Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales announced a plan to produce solid rocket motors - and ultimately warheads - for the GMLRS rocket. These would be produced at the government-owned Thales-operated munitions plants at Mulwala, NSW, and Benalla, Victoria .
Lockheed is standing up GMLRS production at Orchard Hills, Sydney, with the first to be delivered next year. Initial production will be solely from US-sourced components.
The plan for a sovereign rocket motor production facility is part of the defence Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise, backed by up to $21 billion over the decade through the 2024 Integrated Investment Program.
That’s underpinned by the Future Made in Australia agenda, which will improve the resilience of supply chains, provide for greater strategic sovereignty, enhance export opportunities, and deliver broad economic and employment benefits, particularly in regional Australia.
The government said rocket motors were a critical component of missiles and required for most guided weapons, including Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) missiles, which under the Albanese Government will be made in Australia from next year.
The government is also investing up to $60 million over the next five years to develop the next generation of hypersonic and long-range guided weapon sub-systems and components.
This investment will also deliver Australian-made prototypes of critical components including the seeker, fuse and warhead sub-systems. That aligns with work being done as part of the Advanced Rocket Motor Technology Demonstrator program.