An Australian manufacturing milestone has been reached following the launch of a locally produced Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missile, according to Lockheed Martin.
In a media release, Lockheed Martin said the live-fire demonstration took place on 9 April at the Woomera Test Range, involving Lockheed Martin Australia, the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group and the Australian Army.
The demonstration was conducted to support the development of Australia’s domestic guided weapons manufacturing capability, with operational support from the 14th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, part of the Army’s 10th Brigade.
Lockheed Martin described the event as the first launch of an Australian-manufactured GMLRS from an Australian High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). The GMLRS is a precision-guided munition used by the Australian Army, with a reported range exceeding 70 kilometres.
Jeremy King, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, said the outcome reflected close collaboration between industry and government partners.
“This is an outstanding achievement. We have worked closely with Defence to make ready the Port Wakefield facility and produce the first GMLRS outside the United States—all within two years,” King said in the release.
“This speed to capability aligns with the Government’s GWEO objectives and is a testament to the outstanding collaborative work of the Australian team and our U.S. colleagues.”
According to Lockheed Martin, the missiles were assembled and delivered by Australian engineers who were trained at the company’s U.S. production facilities before returning to establish a production line at Port Wakefield.
The company said the delivery of the first tranche of Australian-manufactured GMLRS and the subsequent live-fire demonstration marked the completion of the Guided Weapons Production Capability Risk Reduction Activity contract. It attributed the milestone to collaboration between Lockheed Martin, the United States Government, the Australian Government, Defence and local industry partners.
Gaylia Campbell, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Tactical Missiles, said the company intends to continue expanding advanced manufacturing in Australia.
“Lockheed Martin is proud to be at the forefront of bringing advanced manufacturing technology to Australia and we look forward to working closely with the Australian Government, Defence and industry partners to continue building a domestic guided weapons manufacturing industry,” Campbell said.
The company said establishing GMLRS production in Australia supports government objectives to develop sovereign guided weapons manufacturing, strengthen supply chains and increase munitions stockpiles for the Australian Defence Force.
Lockheed Martin added that incorporating Australian production into the global GMLRS supply chain is expected to expand overall capacity, reduce lead times and improve resilience for allied users.
The live-fire demonstration met all test objectives and generated performance data that will be used to support system validation ahead of a planned U.S. certification flight test in 2027, the company said.
