The cooperation focuses on developing sovereign capability for rocket motor and warhead manufacturing. The initiative comes amid rising global demand for advanced missile components driven by ongoing conflicts and increased defense spending.
Rob Nioa, Group Chief Executive of NIOA, said: “Contemporary conflict in the Middle East and in parts of Europe have clearly illustrated the extraordinary consumption rates of guided weapons and interceptor missiles.” He added: “With the imminent release of the revised and updated National Defence Strategy, NIOA stands ready with our partner L3Harris to move quickly to establish the sovereign production of rocket motors and warheads to support Australia’s defence objectives and supply chain resilience and contribute to allied production demands.”
The partnership aligns with Australia’s Defence Industry Development Strategy and the AUD $21 billion Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance plan. These frameworks aim to establish a domestic manufacturing base for guided weapons by 2030.
Scott Alexander, President of L3Harris’ Missile Propulsion Sector, said: “In a period of generational expansion of the defence industrial base in the US and rising global demand for the solid rocket motors and propulsion systems that power critical defence programs, L3Harris is pleased to renew and extend this teaming agreement with NIOA.” He added: “We look forward to collectively delivering a substantial increase for solid rocket motors and warhead production between the US and Australian defence industrial bases.”
The agreement builds on broader efforts to expand missile production capacity across allied nations. The U.S. Department of War has recently announced a $1 billion investment in L3Harris to increase output of solid rocket motors used in advanced missile systems.
L3Harris currently manufactures propulsion systems and warheads for a range of missile programs, including Tomahawk and Standard Missile systems. Australia placed Foreign Military Sales orders exceeding AUD $8 billion in 2024 for such munitions.
The company also produces propulsion systems for missile defense and tactical programs such as PAC-3 MSE, THAAD, Javelin, Stinger, GMLRS and NULKA. The renewed agreement is intended to strengthen supply chain resilience and support growing demand across allied defense industrial bases.
