KONGSBERG, together with Newcastle Airport (the Developer) and Multiplex Construction (the Builder) welcomed the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, and Federal Member for Paterson, Meryl Swanson MP, to its missile factory at the Astra Aerolab Defence & Aerospace Precinct in Williamtown, NSW.
This visit highlights the significant progress in establishing a sovereign guided weapon manufacturing capability in Australia.
Minister Conroy and Ms Swanson toured the construction site and received a comprehensive briefing on construction progress, key milestones, workforce growth, and the planned production timeframes of KONGSBERG Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) and Joint Strike Missiles (JSM) for the Australian Defence Force.
The Kongsberg Missile Factory will create a world-class missile manufacturing and maintenance capability in the Hunter region, supporting local jobs, skills development, and long-term industrial resilience.
John Fry, Managing Director of Kongsberg Defence Australia said the visit demonstrated tangible progress in delivering on the Government’s commitment to sovereign guided weapons capability, strengthening Australia’s industrial base and deepening strategic cooperation between Australia and Norway.
“The establishment of a missile manufacturing capability at Williamtown marks an important milestone in strengthening Australia’s defence industry and ensuring we can produce and sustain critical capabilities at home as well as being a key node in the company’s global missile production network,” Mr Fry said.
Linc Horton, CEO of Newcastle Airport said the progress of this project strengthens advanced manufacturing in the Hunter.
“We’re really pleased with the progress being made on Kongsberg Defence Australia’s new manufacturing facility at Astra Aerolab, which is strengthening advanced manufacturing in the Hunter and helping build Australia’s sovereign capability. This investment will create skilled jobs and further positions the region and Astra Aerolab as a centre for defence industry growth”.
Construction of the Kongsberg Missile Factory in Williamtown is the first defence project in New South Wales for the global contractor Multiplex.
“Multiplex is proud to commence work on this highly secure facility, drawing on our proven record of delivering complex government projects across Australia. With an established presence and strong networks in the Hunter, we look forward to expanding our work with local communities and businesses, and supporting sustainable employment pathways through the project and beyond,” said NSW Regional Managing Director for Multiplex, David Ghannoum.
Further updates on factory milestones and workforce recruitment will be provided as the project progresses.
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