Lockheed Martin Australia has announced it will open a new facility in partnership with Thales Australia in Mulwala and a refit of an existing office area is also currently underway.
As reported by the Yarrawonga Chronicle in August, the spotlight is on Mulwala’s Thales munitions facility as part of a current Australian Defence Force (ADF) review.
The review is expected to see a significant acceleration and scaling up of Australia’s guided weapons manufacturing capability.
The Mulwala site is included in a $1 billion Australian Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO). The GWEO is the Federal Government’s commitment to making more of its parts and weapons on Australian soil due to supply chain vulnerabilities posed by both adversaries and pandemics.
James Heading, Lockheed Martin Australia’s Director of Programs Strategic Capabilities Office for Missiles and Fire Control, welcomed the establishment of the new facility at Mulwala.
“Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales Australia have unique and complementary backgrounds, and expertise in the manufacture and delivery of weapons capabilities that together will provide further impetus for the Australian Government’s objective of expanding the national defence industrial and manufacturing capability,” he said.
“It will bring Australia a step closer to a national guided weapons capability as well as set us up for potential future export of Australian manufactured products.
“Lockheed Martin will deliver and transfer to Australia the same level of technology and development and advanced programs and systems that we have in our factories in United States," Pat Sunderlin, VP of operations for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said
Thales Australia currently manages the Commonwealth owned facility at Mulwala and have made a significant investment in state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing equipment at the site.
Thales Australia’s Chief Executive, Jeff Connolly, said: “We are committed to investing in the industrial capability and technology necessary to support the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Australian Government’s ambition to accelerate the creation of a Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise, boosting skilled jobs and helping secure Australia’s national defence capabilities.”
The Mulwala site is the first co-located presence for Lockheed Martin in Australia. Mr Heading said, “We have also commenced work to identify other potential industrial sites and are positioning to have sustained in-country manufacturing and strong partnerships in place as soon as possible.
“We have a proud history of successfully developing and delivering world class capabilities to our customers.
“The opportunity to partner with the team at Thales Australia, the operator of the Government Munitions facility at Mulwala, with a successful track record of delivering ammunition, propellants, explosives and related services has the makings of a great partnership for the future.”
Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1,200 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.
