Regional manufacturing firms deliver new Air Force capability in Australia

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Image credit: industry.gov.au

Thales Australia Limited has completed the first production lot of a new Australian-made munition for the Air Force.

Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said 15 Australian companies from Benalla, Victoria and Mulwala, NSW, were delivering this important capability for Defence.

She said the new BLU-111 will have the same range and performance metrics as current General Purpose Bombs but will be significantly safer to store, transport and operate.

“This work establishes a strategically important sovereign manufacturing capability to support the Australian Defence Force,” Minister Price continued.

“It is a practical example of the Government’s ongoing commitment to domestic manufacturing of munitions, which is one of the 10 Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities under the 2018 Defence Industrial Capability Plan.”

The Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Industry Plan for Munitions and Small Arms Research, Design, Development and Manufacture was released year.

Image credit: industry.gov.au