MULWALA, 13 December 2024 –‘ Lockheed Martin Australia, in partnership with 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.

About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1,600 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, Defence and civil sectors. 

About Thales Australia and New Zealand

Thales in Australia and New Zealand is a trusted partner of the Australian Defence Force across the Land, Sea and Air domains. Thales employs over 4,300 people in Australia, and supports over 2,000 jobs along its Australian supply chain. Since 2020, Thales has managed Defence’s Strategic Domestic Munitions Manufacturing (SDMM) capability, guaranteeing the Australian manufacture and supply of strategic munitions to the Australian Defence Force.

Media Contacts:

Lockheed Martin Australia:
Mark Godfrey, Communications Manager, Missiles and Fire Control
+61 483 185 539

Thales Australia and New Zealand:
Jen Ward, External Communications Manager

+61 436 291 334 | media.enquiries@thalesgroup.com.au