Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales Australia have conducted the successful test detonation of four locally designed warheads at the Mulwala munitions facility in NSW. This activity is a significant step on the path to a domestic guided weapon warhead production capability. It is an important demonstration of Australian industry’s ability to design, manufacture and test production-quality representative warhead technologies.
The successful demonstration is the first test conducted under the recent Teaming Agreement between Lockheed Martin and Thales Australia which is exploring opportunities to advance the development and production of solid rocket motors and warheads for the global market.
James Heading, Director and General Manager, Missiles and Fire Control, Lockheed Martin Australia, emphasised the importance of the project in advancing technologies and capabilities in support of the Government’s objectives under the GWEO Enterprise, and building a sustainable industry base in Australia. “This is important work. Investment in research and development projects, like this one, serve as a pathfinder to future technology transfer, and advancements in knowledge and capabilities,” said Heading.
Lockheed Martin and Thales have a long history of collaboration in Australia, and the expertise and resources to deliver world-class advanced weapon capabilities. The warhead tests saw the use of a range of new materials and manufacturing techniques and the comparative testing of multiple designs, which will serve as the foundation for future developments. The rapid development of the demonstrator, completed within just 10 weeks, highlights the advanced technical capabilities and strong working relationship between Lockheed Martin and Thales.
Duncan Watt, Thales Australia’s Key Account Manager for Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance said, “This successful demonstration of a GMLRS-relevant high explosive warhead underscores the accelerated progress achieved through our collaborative Teaming Agreement with Lockheed Martin. This is a significant step towards our vision of establishing domestic manufacturing capabilities for guided weapon warheads in Australia.”
Overall outcomes from the test firing of the demonstration warheads were positive, with results exceeding all expectations. This Internal Research and Development project will position Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales Australia to present options for the Commonwealth in the future stages of the Guided Weapons Production Capability industry uplift activity in 2025.
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