05 Dec 25. Australia kicks off local GMLRS production. Australia will begin manufacturing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles this month following the opening of a new production facility at Port Wakefield in South Australia. The site, developed in partnership between Lockheed Martin Australia and the Department of Defence, marks a major step in the Albanese government’s push to build a sovereign guided weapons industry and expand advanced manufacturing capability. Full-rate production of GMLRS missiles is scheduled to begin by late 2025.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said the launch of domestic missile production represented a “major step in building the industrial strength our nation needs. It’s about creating advanced manufacturing capability that will serve Australia for decades to come,” Minister Marles said.
The project will directly create about 20 manufacturing jobs at Port Wakefield and support hundreds more across the national supply chain.
“This factory is part of a bigger picture – growing a high-tech industry that supports skilled jobs, drives innovation and strengthens Australia’s economy. It’s a clear example of what a future made in Australia looks like,” Minister Marles said.
GMLRS is a precision-strike weapon fired from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) acquired for the Army under its long-range fires program.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said the opening of the facility delivered on the government’s commitment to stand up a sovereign missile manufacturing sector.
“It’s about jobs for locals and a future made in Australia,” Minister Conroy said.
The announcement also marks a significant step in the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise, meeting the production timeline outlined by the government last year. The Port Wakefield factory was designed and built by Intract Australia, an Indigenous-owned and operated company, and completed in just under seven months.
“This is a significant milestone and a proud moment for Australia,” Minister Conroy said. “It will make us more self-reliant, strengthen our national security, reaffirm our growing collaboration with the United States on guided weapons and explosive ordnance, and provide the ADF with long-range strike capabilities to help keep Australians safe.”
Once operational, the Port Wakefield facility will become only the second site in the world to manufacture GMLRS missiles, alongside Lockheed Martin’s plant in Camden, Arkansas. Officials said this development will deepen Australia–US defence ties and open new export opportunities.
Patrick Mason, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Army for Defense Exports and Cooperation, said the opening represented a “transformative milestone in US–Australia defence cooperation”.
The first group of Australian workers has already completed technical training at the Camden plant, accelerating skills transfer and building local expertise.
“This partnership not only strengthens our shared commitment to regional security but demonstrates the power of allied innovation in building resilient defence supply chains,” Mason said.
Paula Hartley, vice president, tactical missiles, Lockheed Martin, welcomed this strategic endeavour to bring advanced manufacturing technology to Australia, “The completion of this state-of-the-art facility marks a key milestone for the Australian government’s GWEO Enterprise. By establishing domestic production of GMLRS, we are strengthening sovereign capability, ensuring full compatibility with US inventories.”
James Heading, director and general manager, missiles and fire control, Lockheed Martin Australia, reiterated the company’s commitment to delivering on the GWEO objectives, adding, “We are committed to establishing a viable and sustainable guided weapons manufacturing industry in Australia.”
The initiative forms part of the Albanese government’s plan to invest up to $21 billion over the next decade in long-range strike systems and the manufacture of long-range munitions in Australia. (Source: Defence Connect)
04 Dec 25. Britain to place 155mm artillery shell orders. The UK will place further orders for 155mm artillery ammunition with BAE Systems’ Washington facility. The confirmation came in response to a written question from Labour MP Luke Akehurst, who asked whether additional production would be directed to the site. Defence Minister Luke Pollard stated that “we can confirm that additional 155mm artillery shell production orders will be placed with BAE Systems’ Washington plant.” The decision aligns with the government’s broader push to expand domestic munitions output, particularly for NATO-standard 155mm ammunition, which has seen sustained demand due to commitments to Ukraine and renewed emphasis on stockpile resilience. The new £75m plant on the site of the old Dunlop factory in Washington carries out forging, machining and treatment of large-calibre mortar, artillery and tank ammunition. Its setup reflects a significant expansion of the United Kingdom’s industrial base for munitions, with production lines designed to handle both routine orders and rapid surge requirements. By keeping forging and heat treatment in the same facility, BAE reduces transit time, tightens quality control and limits supply chain vulnerability, which has become a recurring issue in European defense manufacturing. The Washington factory also represents a shift toward long term capacity rather than short contract cycles. Its output is meant to feed domestic demand and support NATO partners during periods of heightened operational tempo. (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)
03 Dec 25. Korean Air and Hyundai Rotem to Develop Reusable Methane Rocket Engine. Korean Air and Hyundai Rotem have launched a joint initiative to develop a reusable 35-ton-class methane rocket engine, a core technology for next-generation launch vehicles.
Backed by a KRW 49 bn budget and overseen by the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT), the program will run through October 2030.
More than 70 representatives from the government, academia and industry attended today’s kick-off meeting in Daejeon. Participants included officials from the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), KRIT, and technical partners such as Doosan Enerbility, Perigee Aerospace, the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, and leading universities including Seoul National University, Kookmin University and Pusan National University. The meeting reviewed development tasks, technical validation procedures and risk-management plans essential to the program’s success.
Methane engines are increasingly being recognized as the preferred choice for reusable launch systems due to their high combustion efficiency and cleaner burn. Unlike kerosene-based engines, methane engines generate far less soot, making them well suited for repeated launches. Leading global aerospace companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin have already adopted methane engines for their launch systems.
Korean Air will lead the development of the engine’s turbopump, a core component often described as the heart of the propulsion system. The turbopump compresses liquid methane and oxidizer at extremely high pressures and speeds. Its development requires advanced engineering capable of handling cryogenic temperatures of -180°C to several hundred degrees, while rotating tens of thousands of times per minute.
“We are mobilizing our aerospace expertise to develop a high-performance, highly reliable turbopump optimized for methane engines,” said Kyungnam Kim, Head of Korean Air’s Aerospace R&D Center. “This project will help strengthen Korea’s space industry ecosystem and support the development of military satellite launch vehicles and future national defense needs.”
“Developing a methane engine is a crucial step toward positioning Korea as a leader in space defense,” said Jae Hong Son, President of KRIT. “KRIT will fully support the program by building an innovative R&D framework and a robust defense-space ecosystem to ensure successful completion.”
The technologies developed through this program will be instrumental in bolstering Korea’s national defense capabilities and establishing a strategic foundation for the country’s rapidly growing commercial “New Space” sector. (Source: ASD Network)