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Thales Australia has welcomed the Commonwealth’s $220 million investment into munitions manufacturing at the government-owned, company-operated facilities at Mulwala and Benalla.
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Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy announced a $220 million investment to expand the nation’s in-country munition manufacturing capacity last Friday (06 October).
The $220 million investment will see major infrastructure developments at both sites, ensuring they are equipped to support future production demands, such as 155mm artillery ammunition and includes new explosive mixers for the Mulwala facility and enhanced munition manufacturing procedures, including non-destructive testing.
The investment was welcomed by Thales Australia and New Zealand chief executive officer Jeff Connolly, explaining that the funding was critical for developing Australia’s future munitions workforce.
“I welcome the government and Minister Conroy’s announcement to invest in this critical capability will support the significant step-change in technology development and innovation necessary to continue to grow a highly skilled workforce and create the advanced manufacturing jobs of the future,” Connolly said.
The recent announcement followed investment from Thales Australia for $6 million in 2021 for new-state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment in the Mulwala facility.
The prime hopes that the investment will accelerate Australia’s guided weapons capability, with the new preparation and mixing equipment expected to enable a 500 per cent increase in the size of rocket motors developed at the site.
It will also support the development of advanced guided and hypersonic weapons.
“Thales’ investment in increasing Australia’s industrial capability is a clear demonstration of the company’s long-term commitment to growing and maintaining an enduring, sustainable and resilient sovereign industrial munitions capability, and be an indispensable partner to the Australian Defence Force in delivering them a strategic sovereign capability advantage” Connolly added.
Speaking on the investment, Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, said, “Improving Australia’s ability to manufacture the munitions our Defence Force needs is not only critical to meeting the strategic challenges we face as a nation, it will also support local industry and well-paid, skilled local jobs.”
Developed by Defence, the new Resonant Acoustic Mixing technology in place at Mulwala will produce a broader range of advanced munitions, faster and more safely. This will also increase the capacity for production of the BLU-111(AUS) aerial bombs, used by the Royal Australian Air Force.
Minister Conroy highlighted the importance of these two facilities and the infrastructure redevelopments to be delivered as part of the investment, stating, “The Mulwala and Benalla munition factories underpin Australia’s ability to develop critical propellants, explosives, and munitions for the Australian Defence Force.”
This investment has been cited as an example of the Australian government delivering on the priorities of the Defence Strategic Review and establishing local manufacturing of guided weapons and explosive ordnance.
“The ability to bring the BLU-111(AUS) into operational service as an Australian manufactured munition is a significant milestone in boosting Australia’s defence industry manufacturing capability. Our investment in these capabilities will accelerate the domestic manufacture of Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance, such as 155mm artillery ammunition,” Minister Conroy said.
