The demonstration was supported by the 14th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, part of the Australian Army’s 10th Brigade. It aimed to validate progress in establishing sovereign guided weapons manufacturing in Australia.
The launch marked the first time an Australian-produced GMLRS was fired from an Australian High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. The GMLRS is a precision-guided munition with a range exceeding 70 kilometres and serves as the primary weapon for Australia’s HIMARS platforms.
Jeremy King, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, said: “This is an outstanding achievement.” He added: “We have worked closely with Defence to make ready the Port Wakefield facility and produce the first GMLRS outside the United States—all within two years. This speed to capability aligns with the Government’s GWEO objectives and is a testament to the outstanding collaborative work of the Australian team and our U.S. colleagues.”
The missiles were assembled and delivered by Australian engineers trained at Lockheed Martin’s U.S. production facilities. The personnel later returned to establish the production line at Port Wakefield, reflecting cooperation in workforce development and technology transfer.
The delivery of the first batch of locally manufactured GMLRS and the live-fire test completed the final milestone under the Guided Weapons Production Capability Risk Reduction Activity contract. The programme was delivered through cooperation between Lockheed Martin, the United States Government, the Australian Government, Defence, and local industry partners.
Gaylia Campbell, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Tactical Missiles, said: “Lockheed Martin is proud to be at the forefront of bringing advanced manufacturing technology to Australia and we look forward to working closely with the Australian Government, Defence and industry partners to continue building a domestic guided weapons manufacturing industry.”
The establishment of GMLRS production in Australia supports government objectives to develop sovereign manufacturing capability, strengthen supply chains, and increase munitions stockpiles. It also contributes to the growth of Australia’s defence industrial base through expanded local industry participation.
Lockheed Martin said the addition of Australian production capacity enhances the global GMLRS supply chain. Increased output is expected to shorten delivery times, improve resilience, and support allied operations worldwide.
As production scales up, the Port Wakefield facility is expected to create further opportunities for Australian industry involvement. The live-fire test met all objectives and generated performance data to support system validation ahead of a planned U.S. certification flight test in 2027.
