Lockheed Martin and Thales sign teaming agreement to manufacture GMLRS

Canberra-based Lockheed Martin Australia and Sydney based Thales Australia have signed a Teaming Agreement to explore opportunities to advance the development and production of Solid Rocket Motors (SRM) for the Australian market.

The purpose of the agreement is to collaborate, qualify and produce Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Solid Rocket Motors and other components in support of Defence’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise.

The Teaming Agreement production effort will focus on jointly developed tasks to produce an Australian SRM System, as well as to explore supply chain options to establish Australian industrial capability for related components.

The collaboration will assess the possibility of future potential design, development, production or co-production of sub-components of the GMLRS missiles, and potentially inform Commonwealth considerations in establishing a resilient GWEO Enterprise that is globally competitive and may include the domestic manufacture of SRMs ranging from simple rockets to large, complex strategic motors.

“Lockheed Martin is already a world-leader in missile systems and sub-systems, and partnerships with experienced, world-class companies like Thales advance our ability to enable the achievement of the Australian Government’s objectives under the GWEO Enterprise,” said Warren McDonald, Chief Executive Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand.

 “This is AUKUS in action,” said Jeff Connolly, Thales Australia’s Chief Executive Officer. “Close collaboration with industry leaders like Lockheed Martin is essential for Australia to domestically manufacture weapon sub-sections and components, which was identified as a priority in the 2024 Defence Industry Development Strategy.

“Thales’ partnership with Lockheed Martin is an important step in developing options for Commonwealth consideration toward an accelerated sovereign GMLRS capability for the Australian Defence Force.”

Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales have unique and complementary backgrounds and expertise in the manufacture and delivery of 21st Century Security solutions and weapons capabilities. This Teaming Agreement is an opportunity to strengthen the existing partnership between the two companies. In 2021, the companies signed a Teaming Agreement to cooperate in the design, development and production of Lockheed Martin’s Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile – Surface Launch variant, with a specific focus on booster and rocket motor technologies.

Building upon the 2021 teaming agreement, the new agreement will support Lockheed Martin’s identification of Australian supply chain opportunities. This approach intends to support local manufacture of guided weapons and allow Lockheed Martin to further strengthen Australia’s national defence industrial base.