General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have entered a strategic partnership that directly supports Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise and deepens trilateral cooperation under the AUKUS framework. The partnership will accelerate delivery of a next-generation, long-range precision missile capability for the US Military and trusted allies, including the Australian Defence Force (ADF), offering a high-impact solution that can be operational within two years, not seven.
The newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlines a joint venture to manufacture the Bullseye missile—an advanced, multi-platform deep-strike weapon with modular, scalable architecture. The system has achieved Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8 and is scheduled for flight qualification and delivery starting late 2025. This initiative directly supports the Australian Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Plan 2024, which outlines a whole-of-government strategy to deliver sovereign-guided weapons capability at speed and scale.
By bringing to market a proven, mature missile system that is capable of rapid deployment and high-rate production, the Bullseye program contributes to the Plan’s objectives of delivering critical munitions to keep Australia safe, enhancing supply chain resilience, and strengthening defence materiel readiness across the joint force.
“We are excited to work with Rafael to introduce Bullseye, a highly effective deep-strike missile. Bullseye will be built in the U.S. for delivery to U.S. military customers to support a variety of critical Department of Defense and coalition partners’ precision-fires missions,” said Scott Forney, President of GA-EMS. “The missile will be compliant with applicable U.S. military standards and will be built and integrated at GA-EMS manufacturing centre-of-excellence in Tupelo, Mississippi.”
This new joint venture builds on Rafael’s track record as a trusted and proven supplier to the Australian GWEO program. In May 2023, Rafael Australia finalised a substantial acquisition and support contract with the Australian Government to supply the SPIKE LR2 missile system to the ADF—marking the first guided weapons acquisition under the leadership of Air Marshal Leon Phillips, inaugural Chief of the GWEO Group.
Procured under Project LAND 400 Phase 2, the SPIKE LR2 is a combat-proven, multipurpose, multi-platform missile system designed to deliver precision strike capability in the most complex operational environments. It forms a critical part of Australia’s future-ready force and a tangible demonstration of Rafael’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology and sustained support to the ADF.
With extensive operational experience and deep investment in next-generation guided systems, Rafael continues to play a global leadership role in precision guided missiles and counter-missile technologies—capabilities now central to Australia’s evolving deterrence posture. The GA-EMS–Rafael partnership is uniquely positioned to advance Australia’s sovereign missile manufacturing ambitions while deepening industrial integration with the United States, which reaffirmed its commitment to the GWEO Enterprise at AUSMIN 2023.
Recent Australia–U.S. roundtable discussions have focused on identifying weapons components that could be manufactured locally and securing access to U.S. technology and intellectual property. The Bullseye missile program directly supports these objectives, offering a low-risk, export-ready solution for collaborative development. Bullseye presents a rare opportunity for Australia to access cutting-edge U.S. and Israeli missile technologies, backed by a joint venture that is willing and able to localise production. It is the kind of program that delivers on the promise of AUKUS and the technology-sharing commitments reaffirmed at AUSMIN.
“Rafael Defence Australia stands ready to support the ADF as it delivers the GWEO Enterprise,” said Golan Ben Giat, Managing Director of Rafael Defence Australia. “This joint venture shows how key strategic allies like the United States are already benefiting from Rafael’s battle-proven missile expertise—and now, through this partnership, Australia can too. Bullseye delivers what the ADF needs—long-range, high-precision munitions at scale, in years not decades. We are proud to bring real capability, real scale, and real speed to the table.”
With Rafael’s proven technologies like SPIKE and Iron Dome, and GA-EMS’s high-volume missile manufacturing capacity in the U.S., Bullseye will deliver long-range strike capability across air, land and sea domains. The joint venture is actively exploring local industrial participation, including assembly, testing, and integration opportunities for Australian companies. In a contested Indo-Pacific environment, Bullseye offers a scalable solution for delivering the strike mass and sovereign capability needed to deter potential adversaries and defend Australia’s national interests.
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Sorry but a couple of things don’t twig for me, as to its relevance for Australia.
The 1st question is, doesn’t this weapon basically do the same job/capability as we’ll get from the JSM/NSM which will start building in New Castle in the next couple of years, primarily an ASM but is capable of both Anti-ship and precision strike missions?
The 2nd, ‘Bullseye’ will be built in America, yes we might get access but, that is a different thing from what the GWEO is meant to be about, which is Aussie Sovereignty, Aussie independence and Aussie manufacture?
And 3rd, with the current President’s ideas and attitudes, having reliance on American tech/weapons and even support is looking shakier each day and surely greater self-reliance is a better, more reliable and necessary path to take?
Fair comments.
That’s all well and good but what does it mean for Australia, the word Allies pops up a bit but can the fact we are Allies guarantee supply. The GWEO Program implemented in 2023 was supposed to bring a sovereign capacity to build missiles in Australia, so far it hasn’t delivered ( other than from Kongsberg, who I don’t believe were part of the Program ) I think a better idea would be to start looking elsewhere ( other than the U.S.) for Industry Partners and scale back the “Gold Plated” options( not abandon) when other options are available.Seriously, if the Houthis ( no racial slur intended) can build Drones that seriously threatens shipping in the Suez, Australia should be able to build something that can make an adversary think twice about coming to close.