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MBDA, Europe’s foremost missile designer and developer, has joined the Australian Missile Corporation’s consortium to develop Australia’s sovereign guided munitions capabilities.
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MBDA, which is the only European defence group with the capability of designing and developing missiles and missile systems for current and future needs across land, air and sea, according to a statement by the AMC, is a joint venture between Airbus (37.5 per cent), BAE Systems (37.5 per cent) and Leonardo (25 per cent).
AMC is a subsidiary of Australian owned and operated defence company NIOA, which is the country’s largest supplier of weapons and munitions to the Australian Defence Force.
Robert Nioa, chief executive of NIOA and the Australian Missile Corporation, welcomed the opportunity to harness MBDA’s technological expertise in the guided munitions sector.
“MBDA has a pedigree of technological and operational success, providing missiles for each branch of the armed forces. They are trusted partners to the defence community and will bring best-in-industry expertise to ensure that in these initial stages the Australian Missile Corporation is harnessing the very best minds, all working together,’’ he said.
Lorenzo Mariani, executive group director, sales and business development for MBDA, outlined that the company has a long history of working with Australia’s defence establishment.
“MBDA has a strong track record of delivering sovereign guided missile capability to Australia through the government’s Defence Science and Technology Group. Our collaboration with AMC shows our commitment to work with the best of Australian industry in supporting the government’s vision to create a sovereign guided missiles industry on home soil,” Mariani said.
According to a statement by the company, NIOA is expecting to invest $130 million into Australia’s munitions and explosives manufacturing sector. The investment includes $60 million towards an artillery shell forging plant in Maryborough, Queensland, alongside Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions.
The company is also expected to undertake an upgrade to the federal government’s Benalla munitions plant, located in Victoria as well as an expansion to the company’s Brisbane warehouse valued at $11 million.
Also in the running to leverage the government’s recent sovereign guided munitions push is Sovereign Missile Alliance, a joint venture between Electro Optic Systems (EOS) and Nova Systems, which was launched earlier this month.
Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales Australia further agreed to collaborate for the design and delivery of Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Anti-Ship Missile – Surface Launch variant.
[Related: Day & Zimmermann joins AMC consortium]
