The first successful test flight of a fully Australian-designed and manufactured advanced solid rocket motor has taken place at the Koonibba Test Range near Ceduna, South Australia. This milestone marks another significant step towards Australia’s sovereign guided weapons capability, demonstrating the ability of Australian industry to design, manufacture, integrate and test rocket motor technologies relevant to future tactical missile systems.
Key facts about the Koonibba Rising 3.0 solid rocket motor:
- A 100kg-class solid rocket motor.
- Incorporates technologies and design features required for high-performance, military-relevant applications.
- Launched in a flight test conducted by Southern Launch, a South Australian industry partner.
- Rocket motors are a critical component of most missile systems, providing propulsion during flight.
- Solid rocket motors are generally used for military applications due to their simplicity, high energy density and ability to be stored for extended periods while remaining ready to launch at short notice.
Post-flight analysis confirmed the rocket motor performed as designed throughout the test. The test also successfully demonstrated real-time monitoring of flight vehicle and rocket motor performance data and enabled the recovery of the flight vehicle for inspection and data validation.
This test builds on the successful static firing of the larger-scale DRACO solid rocket motor at Woomera in February 2026.
Koonibba Rising 3.0 was developed through the Advanced Rocket Motor Technology Demonstrator Program program, a partnership between the Defence Science and Technology Group and Thales Australia. The program brings together a network of Australian industry partners involved in component design and manufacturing.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said: “This is a significant achievement for Australia’s defence industry and a major step forward in our ability to design, develop and test advanced rocket motor and missile system technologies right here in Australia. It showcases the strength of collaboration between Defence, Australian industry and research organisations in delivering cutting-edge capabilities that support our national security and sovereign industrial resilience.”
The test is the latest success from an enduring collaboration over five-plus years between DSTG and Thales Australia as leader of the industry small and medium enterprise network. DSTG is the design authority of the Advanced Rocket Motor Technology Demonstrator (ARMTD), partnering with Thales Australia as the ARMTD engineering manager and industry leadership partner.
Thales Australia’s role as lead of the Australian industry SME network has seen the establishment of foundations for a thriving sovereign industrial footprint and capability, creating a pathway for local development, manufacturing, and testing of Australian-made rocket motors.
Jeff Connolly, CEO, Thales Australia and New Zealand, said: “This achievement belongs to an army of scientists, engineers, officials, small and medium enterprises, defence leaders and our industrial workforce. It is about an enduring commitment to securing the nation and providing deterrence that keeps us all safe. Thales Australia, as the sovereign steward of the defence industrial base, and with an ongoing commitment to serve the national interest, is committed to working with our defence, research and industry partners, to build this and other critical industrial and defence capabilities.”
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