The federal government said the facility would open by the end of the decade and enable the production of motors for the “world’s most advanced missiles”.
Separately, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy also revealed $60 million would be invested over the next five years to develop the next generation of guided weapon sub-systems and components, such as hypersonic and long-range strike.
The initiative aligns with the Advanced Rocket Motor Technology Demonstrator program involving spaceport firm Southern Launch.
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“Today’s announcement represents a leap forward for the Australian defence industry and continues to deliver on the Albanese Government’s commitment to providing the ADF with the capabilities it needs to make Australians safer and safeguard our national interests,” said Minister Conroy.
“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.
“This program is 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.”
The news significantly comes shortly after defence technology firm Kongsberg won an $850 million contract to build a factory in Newcastle that will produce long-range F-35 missiles.
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The facility, situated within the city’s airport precinct, will be one of only two in the world capable of producing Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) and Joint Strike Missiles (JSM).
JSMs are designed to be fired from fifth-generation F-35s fighter jets and are significantly able to change course in flight. They differ from more regular missiles because they can fly at low altitudes where they can evade radars.
Raytheon, JSM’s co-manufacturer, has said the weapons have a range of 275 kilometres and are the only fifth-generation cruise missile designed to be launched from the internal weapons bay of the F-35A.
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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