Australia and Germany to cooperate on guided weapons components

Defence has signed a Letter of Intent with German warhead manufacturer TDW to explore options for the manufacture and maintenance of warheads for the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and air-launched Joint Strike Missile (JSM) in Australia, creating opportunities for local Australian businesses to enter the global supply chain and pursue exports.

This activity supports Defence’s investment of up to $850 million to establish local manufacture and maintenance of both missiles at a new world-class facility adjacent to RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, in partnership with Kongsberg Defence Australia. The facility is expected to come on stream in 2027.

This investment includes up to $137 million dedicated to establishing domestic manufacturing of priority missile components, including warheads and represents a major step toward establishing domestic manufacture of priority components for the weapons missiles. It is also part of Defence’s commitment of $16-21 billion over the decade to accelerate the establishment of a sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise (GWEO).

“So Australians’ weapons enterprise is all about us having greater self-reliance, greater sovereignty, the events in the Middle East demonstrate that we need to be able to make all things for Australia and support our partners,” said Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry, at the signing ceremony.

“We have plans to build four different missiles in this country, we’re building three different missile factories, and we’ve already started manufacturing the first missile, which started in December last year,” he added, referring to the Lockheed Martin Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) which the company is currently assembling at a new facility in Port Wakefield, South Australia. “We’ll be building the Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile and Naval Strike Missile, with factory being complete early next year,” he added.

A critical part of those missiles is the warhead, produced by German company called TDW, Conroy continued. “The letter of intent signed today is about plans for them to transfer their manufacturing know-how to build that warhead in Australia so that we can build those strike missiles in this country to not only support our Defence Force but to support allies and partners around the world.”

The ship or land-launched NSM and air-launched JSM are modern anti-ship cruise missiles that can be deployed against highly capable enemy warships or land-based targets.