Lockheed Martin Australia has begun missile assembly operations at the new Defence-owned Missile Assembly Facility in Port Wakefield, South Australia. The site will produce Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) All Up Rounds and Launch Pod Containers—marking the first time these munitions have been assembled outside the United States.
The facility’s rapid fit-out was delivered under the Australian Government’s Guided Weapons Production Capability Risk Reduction Activity, supporting the broader Guided Weapons and Explosives Ordnance (GWEO) Plan. Australian engineers spent the past year training at Lockheed Martin’s U.S. missile plants, returning with the expertise needed to establish domestic production and strengthen sovereign guided weapons capability.
Lockheed Martin leaders said the project underscores major progress in Australia’s GWEO enterprise and represents a significant step toward building a sustainable local manufacturing ecosystem. The company has already partnered with Thales Australia, Marand, AW Bell and Moog Australia as part of its growing supply chain. The Port Wakefield facility is expected to serve as a pathfinder for future guided weapons manufacturing across the country.
