Australia marks a year of progress under the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Plan, opening a missile factory in Newcastle and creating hundreds of jobs.
The one-year anniversary of the GWEO Plan was marked with the opening of a dedicated missile manufacturing office in Newcastle, part of a $850 million partnership with Kongsberg Defence Australia.
The new facility will produce Joint Strike Missiles and Naval Strike Missiles, making it only the second factory worldwide and the first outside Norway. The project is expected to generate hundreds of jobs in the Hunter region and inject $100 million into the local economy.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said, “In just 12 months, Australia has come a long way towards sovereign missile manufacturing and increasing our long-range strike capabilities. Australian industry is at the heart of this plan, with more than $500 million set aside to uplift Australian companies and help insulate us from global supply chain pressures.
“By the end of this year, we will begin manufacturing Australia’s first guided missile on home soil – a significant feat that will strengthen sovereign supply chains and get these weapons into the hands of the war fighter sooner.”
The GWEO Plan, released in October 2024, aims to expand Australia’s defence industrial capabilities through multiple initiatives, including establishing a Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System missile manufacturing capability, investing in local production of missile components, and co-developing precision strike systems with the United States.
Defence has already introduced new capabilities, including live test firings of Naval Strike Missiles, Standard Missile 6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles in 2024, and the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile and Precision Strike Missile in 2025.
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