Lockheed Martin Australia has signed a contract with Defence to begin manufacturing key guided weapon components in Australia, as part of the Federal Government’s push to build a domestic guided weapons industry.
Under the agreement, Lockheed Martin will work with Melbourne-based suppliers AW Bell and Moog Australia to produce canards and the Control Actuation System (CAS) for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). The CAS includes a control unit and four actuators used to position fins around the rocket.
Lockheed Martin Australia said the arrangement is intended to support the Government’s Guided Weapons and Explosives Ordnance (GWEO) objectives, including the ambition to develop an Australian manufacturing base that can contribute to global supply chains and export opportunities.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to continue working with these two world-class suppliers to advance genuine sovereign capabilities,” said James Heading, Director and General Manager, Missiles and Fire Control, Lockheed Martin Australia. “AW Bell and Moog have strong reputations as suppliers of precision components and systems for Defence and industry. This ongoing work with Lockheed Martin Australia opens up opportunities for other potential projects and future export pathways.”
Moog will design and build the GMLRS CAS, and engineers from Australia and the United States will participate in an exchange program intended to share knowledge and skills. AW Bell has been selected to manufacture the missile’s canards and the housing for the CAS.
The company said Moog and AW Bell join Thales and Marand in work linked to GWEO objectives. It also said the contract follows the start of domestic missile manufacturing at Port Wakefield in December 2025 and the first test firing of Lockheed Martin Australia’s GMLRS missiles earlier this year.
