Thales Australia has announced a $6 million investment in advanced manufacturing equipment at the Commonwealth owned Mulwala facility in regional NSW, to rapidly accelerate sovereign guided weapons manufacturing capability.
Thales’ investment in new large-scale preparation and mixing equipment is expected to enable a 500% increase in the size of rocket motors able to be manufactured at Mulwala, supporting production of advanced guided weapons and hypersonic weapons.
Thales says the new equipment will deliver a step-change in Australia’s sovereign capacity to produce guided munitions, enabling the manufacture of more than 90% of the ADF’s current strategic rocket propulsion inventory and delivering the capability to manufacture future guided and hypersonic weapon systems.
"It represents a significant acceleration and scaling up of Australia’s guided weapons manufacturing capability to produce large rocket motors essential for advanced guided missiles," the company said.
“Thales Australia is a strategic partner of the Australian Defence Force and we are committed to investing in the resources and technology necessary to support the ADF and Australian Government’s ambition to accelerate the creation of a Sovereign Guided Weapons Enterprise, boosting skilled jobs and helping secure Australia's sovereign defence capabilities," Thales Australia’s Chief Executive, Chris Jenkins, said.
Thales Australia works with more than 600 Australian suppliers and a large range of weapons systems Primes to ensure the ADF receives the locally manufactured munitions they need.