MELBOURNE — Northrop Grumman has been selected by Australia to establish a solid rocket motor manufacturing industrial base in the country.
The company said in an announcement on Thursday that it will commence engagement with local industry “to explore, discuss and clarify potential requirements and processes relating to solid rocket motor production in Australia.”
It added that a core element of the program will be to integrate Australian suppliers into the production line, which would ensure the country benefits from access to the company’s propulsion technology while establishing a sovereign manufacturing base onshore.
A news release by the Australian Department of Defence said that the program will see an initial investment of AU$126.9 million ($91.6m) to establish solid rocket motor production in-country, as part of efforts to strengthen its sovereign defence industrial base.
It would leverage recently completed upgrades to facilities at the state-owned Mulwala munitions factory in the state of New South Wales to fast-track Australian production of solid rocket motors, starting with motors for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) by 2030.
Read more about the global supply chain crunch on solid rocket motors here.
This will be followed by a dedicated Rocket Motor Manufacturing Complex, which is expected to be operational by 2033, that will deliver high-rate production of multiple types of solid rocket motors.
Australian Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said that this initiative would strengthen the country’s local defense industrial base and self-reliance.
“This investment will ensure the Australian Defence Force has reliable, resilient access to the capabilities needed to defend Australia and our immediate region.”
Australia also announced that it would work with DefendTex, Black Sky Industries and Anduril Australia to explore novel manufacturing methods as the country seeks to build local industry capability at speed by tapping “proven international rocket motor manufacturers” and potentially extending further opportunities to other Australian providers once a domestic solid rocket motor manufacturing has been established.
“This initiative will strengthen Australia’s defence supply chains and open new opportunities for Australian small to medium enterprises to enter the global market,” said the department.
Australia has embarked on an ambitious program to develop the capability to manufacture a variety of the guided munitions used by its military onshore. Known as the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) enterprise, it will spend between AU$26-36 billion over the next decade to set up infrastructure for the manufacture of munitions including the GMLRS, Joint Strike Missile and AIM-260A air-to-air missile, according to its recently released Integrated Investment Program.
