Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales Australia have signed a Teaming Agreement to explore the development and production of Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) for the Australian market.
The agreement aims to advance Australia’s Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) capabilities and strengthen the country’s national defence industry, as revealed in a media release.
The collaboration will focus on jointly developing tasks to produce an Australian SRM system and explore local supply chain options.
This move aligns with the broader goals of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise, a key part of Australia’s defence strategy.
“Lockheed Martin is already a world leader in missile systems and sub-systems,” said Warren McDonald, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand.
“Partnerships with experienced, world-class companies like Thales advance our ability to enable the achievement of the Australian Government’s objectives under the GWEO Enterprise.”
The agreement will also explore future opportunities in the design, development, and co-production of sub-components for GMLRS missiles.
The collaboration could help shape the government’s decisions on establishing a globally competitive and resilient GWEO Enterprise.
The potential domestic production of SRMs—from simple rockets to complex strategic motors—would mark a significant milestone in Australia’s defence manufacturing capabilities.
Jeff Connolly, CEO of Thales Australia, highlighted the broader implications of the agreement: “This is AUKUS in action. Close collaboration with industry leaders like Lockheed Martin is essential for Australia to domestically manufacture weapon sub-sections and components, which was identified as a priority in the 2024 Defence Industry Development Strategy.”
Building on a 2021 partnership between Lockheed Martin and Thales, which focused on the development of Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile technologies, the new agreement aims to further bolster Australia’s national defence industrial base by supporting local manufacture of guided weapons.
Connolly added, “Thales’ partnership with Lockheed Martin is an important step in developing options for Commonwealth consideration toward an accelerated sovereign GMLRS capability for the Australian Defence Force.”
