Australia to build new missile factory in Newcastle

[Zarvan]

Australia to build new missile factory in Newcastle​

[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.78)]Newshttps://defence-blog.com/category/news/[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.78)]Maritime Security[/COLOR][/COLOR]
ByDaisuke Sato
Aug 24, 2024
Modified date: Aug 24, 2024

Photo by Nicole Mankowski

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The Australian government has announced a substantial investment in the construction of a new factory in Newcastle, New South Wales, dedicated to the production and servicing of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) strike missiles.

The facility, which will support the Australian Defence Force (ADF), marks a significant expansion of KONGSBERG’s global footprint.

The Australian government will contribute up to AUS $850 million in partnership with Kongsberg Defence Australia to establish the missile factory within the Newcastle Airport precinct, approximately 120 kilometers north of Sydney. Construction is expected to begin later this year, according to a government press release.

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Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, highlighted the importance of the new facility. “Strong international demand for our strike missiles means we are expanding our footprint in selected countries. The missile factory will be the first to open outside Norway, which is a testament to the strong and growing relationship between KONGSBERG, Norway, and Australia in cooperating to develop current and future defense capabilities,” Lie stated.

The decision to establish the factory comes as part of Australia’s broader strategic initiative to enhance its defense capabilities. The government has also included Kongsberg Defence Australia as a strategic partner in its Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise. This partnership is underpinned by a significant commitment of $16 to $21 billion over the next decade, as outlined in the Government’s 2024 Integrated Investment Program.

John Fry, Managing Director of Kongsberg Defence Australia, expressed the company’s commitment to the partnership: “We are honored to have been selected as a strategic partner in the GWEO Enterprise and look forward to continuing to invest in Australia to support the armed forces, while generating jobs and economic benefits in the local area.”

The new factory will focus on the production of KONGSBERG’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and Joint Strike Missile (JSM). The NSM, an anti-ship missile known for its operational performance and survivability against enemy defense systems, has been a key component of the Norwegian Navy’s arsenal since 2012. It has also been selected by 13 other countries, including Australia.

The JSM, an air-launched variant of the NSM, is currently being integrated with the F-35 fighter aircraft. It has already been chosen by Norway, Japan, and the United States Air Force, further solidifying KONGSBERG’s position as a leading defense technology provider.

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Executive Editor

About author:

Daisuke Sato
Daisuke Sato is defense reporter, covering the Asia-Pacific defense industrial base, defense markets and all related issues. He has covered the US and Japan bilateral exercises for several years.

 

[Lulldapull]

…….Aussies eventually realizing their armed forces are a generation behind the curve……

Not that anyone’s invading OZ, but reality is dawning on the most technologically backward country.

 

[Ali_Baba]

Kind of suprised to see them build this in the UK, but i suspect it is part of the wider plans, one that of course see australia get nuclear submarines, but also one where i suspect they will buy GCAP/Tempest "off the shelf aswell". Give and take i suspect.

 

[Lulldapull]

Kind of suprised to see them build this in the UK, but i suspect it is part of the wider plans, one that of course see australia get nuclear submarines, but also one where i suspect they will buy GCAP/Tempest "off the shelf aswell". Give and take i suspect.

I remember the Aussie navy signing a contract with the French DCN corporation for their new diesel electric subs. After a decade of work and thousands of lower caste aussies employed building them, the contract suddenly got rescinded. In came the USN strong arming its way in and cancelled everything and told the French to fukk off!

Now, the US is selling a handful of nuke subs to Australia. The Aussies ended up paying $26 billion dollars in penalties to rescind the French DCN contract. And signed up for another junk USN tens of billions new contract.

Australia has zero threats from any one, and the US and UK use it as a cash cow ATM like Sawdi Judea.

Sell them junk and make billions of dollars in profits.

Same ol story since the settlers founded the colony.

 

[Zarvan]

…….Aussies eventually realizing their armed forces are a generation behind the curve……

Not that anyone’s invading OZ, but reality is dawning on the most technologically backward country.

Australia also needs to increase the size of it's Army. 70000 is simply not enough.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Well technically there is no human population in Australia it is just few coastal cities rest is Snakes and Scorpions and venomous strikers

They are also quite far from conflict unsure why they would want a regional tussle

Antartica and Australia are likely the two safest regions right now

 

[j_hungary]

Kind of suprised to see them build this in the UK, but i suspect it is part of the wider plans, one that of course see australia get nuclear submarines, but also one where i suspect they will buy GCAP/Tempest "off the shelf aswell". Give and take i suspect.

No chance of Tempest from Australia.

The current F-35 deal is for until 2050 and the latest white paper suggested after that the Aussie will go with 6th gen jet. Most likely partner with the US.

P.S. I think they are building these missile in Newcastle in NSW (about 160 mile where I live) not Newcastle in the UK.......

 

[j_hungary]

I remember the Aussie navy signing a contract with the French DCN corporation for their new diesel electric subs. After a decade of work and thousands of lower caste aussies employed building them, the contract suddenly got rescinded. In came the USN strong arming its way in and cancelled everything and told the French to fukk off!

Now, the US is selling a handful of nuke subs to Australia. The Aussies ended up paying $26 billion dollars in penalties to rescind the French DCN contract. And signed up for another junk USN tens of billions new contract.

Australia has zero threats from any one, and the US and UK use it as a cash cow ATM like Sawdi Judea.

Sell them junk and make billions of dollars in profits.

Same ol story since the settlers founded the colony.

If there are anyone to blame on the DCN deal felt though, that's the French.

First, they double the cost that we agreed on, from 40 billions to 80 billions then to 89.4 billions, citing designing and redesigning for purpose part to operate in Southern Ocean.

Second, when they say that, it means they are doing nothing and eating baguette or whatever they were doing in France. The contract with DCNS was sign on April 16, 2016 and by the date we cancelled the project on September 16, 2021, 4 billion of our money was spend (1/20 of the entire program cost was paid) and what they had to show for is basically nothing, there were no design, no test work, in fact, no one in our government know what the french were doing with our money......

That French deal was the reason it pushes us into AUKUS, not the other way around.

 

[Lulldapull]

Australia also needs to increase the size of it's Army. 70000 is simply not enough.

There is no threat to Australia. No enemies for thousands of miles. 90% of the country is totally inhospitable. Anybody trying in invade from up north will die from exposure to elements and lack of water. Like I said, Australia only has one purpose, be a good customer for junk western weaponry, just like Sawdi Judea.

 

[Lulldapull]

If there are anyone to blame on the DCN deal felt though, that's the French.

First, they double the cost that we agreed on, from 40 billions to 80 billions then to 89.4 billions, citing designing and redesigning for purpose part to operate in Southern Ocean.

Second, when they say that, it means they are doing nothing and eating baguette or whatever they were doing in France. The contract with DCNS was sign on April 16, 2016 and by the date we cancelled the project on September 16, 2021, 4 billion of our money was spend (1/20 of the entire program cost was paid) and what they had to show for is basically nothing, there were no design, no test work, in fact, no one in our government know what the french were doing with our money......

That French deal was the reason it pushes us into AUKUS, not the other way around.

You remember the Collins class disaster?.......lol......What a total waste of money.

I bet RAN would've been far better off buying the highly capable JN Soryu's off the shelf to avoid corruption.

Now the US will rip off the Aussie tax payer, just like the French.

 

[j_hungary]

You remember the Collins class disaster?.......lol......What a total waste of money.

I bet RAN would've been far better off buying the highly capable JN Soryu's off the shelf to avoid corruption.

Now the US will rip off the Aussie tax payer, just like the French.

If you don't design and make it yourselves, there are always rip-off.

That's what we are doing with this AUKUS class at the moment, trying to spur up the ship building business here in Australia. That's why any off the shelves platform is no go, that include the Sorya and the Type 216

 

[Ali_Baba]

No chance of Tempest from Australia.

The current F-35 deal is for until 2050 and the latest white paper suggested after that the Aussie will go with 6th gen jet. Most likely partner with the US.

P.S. I think they are building these missile in Newcastle in NSW (about 160 mile where I live) not Newcastle in the UK.......

And i think that 6th gen Jet will be Tempest. You think it will be NGAD. Time will tell of course.

 

[j_hungary]

And i think that 6th gen Jet will be Tempest. You think it will be NGAD. Time will tell of course.

Time frame does not match with tempest.

They wanted it by 2050, NGAD was supposed to be ready by 2035, which give the us around 15 years to get them, Tempest is post 2040 service, which mean unless we can get them in 10 years, we aren't getting them by 2050. That is if Tempest is ready by 2040, not 2049....

 

[Ali_Baba]

Time frame does not match with tempest.

They wanted it by 2050, NGAD was supposed to be ready by 2035, which give the us around 15 years to get them, Tempest is post 2040 service, which mean unless we can get them in 10 years, we aren't getting them by 2050. That is if Tempest is ready by 2040, not 2049....

Tempest sevice date is 2035. Exports of course on a different timeline, but see no reason why Australia cant join the party early on.

https://static.rusi.org/tempest_programme_final_web_version_0.pdf

The only way is Tempest - Royal Aeronautical Society

The Global Combat Air Programme is a multinational effort led by the UK, Japan and Italy to develop a new stealthy combat aircraft. But is GCAP the right solution? JOE COLES went in search of answers.

www.aerosociety.com

 

[j_hungary]

Tempest sevice date is 2035. Exports of course on a different timeline, but see no reason why Australia cant join the party early on.

https://static.rusi.org/tempest_programme_final_web_version_0.pdf

The only way is Tempest - Royal Aeronautical Society

The Global Combat Air Programme is a multinational effort led by the UK, Japan and Italy to develop a new stealthy combat aircraft. But is GCAP the right solution? JOE COLES went in search of answers.

www.aerosociety.com

Not too sure if Tempest can make it by 2035, because they would need the tech demo up already. Maybe I just not followed the program enough but I don't think they have tech demo prototype up yet, and if they don't have them by 2025, chances are you are not getting them by 2035.

NGAD already had work on tech prototype.

The Air Force’s next-gen fighter has moved into a critical new phase

Air Force Sec. Frank Kendall hopes NGAD will show its capabilities by the end of the decade.

www.defensenews.com