Australian Missile Corporation secures new partnerships

The recently formed Australian Missile Corporation (AMC) has secured new partnerships with several local firms with a view to fulfilling the Australian Defence Force's (ADF's) next-generation guided missile requirements.

AMC said it has agreed new industrial partnerships with a host of Australian firms offering services, including manufacturing, simulation, software, and tooling. These firms include Archer Materials, Milspec Manufacturing, Thomas Global Systems, Thornton Tomasetti, DMG MORI, Aldom Transport Engineering, Applied Fasteners and Tooling, and Allweld Manufacturing.

In addition, in early June, AMC announced industry agreements with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) – its most high-profile partner to date – as well as Australian firms Quickstep, a composite specialist, and Black Sky Aerospace, a propellant manufacturer.

Queensland-based munitions and weapons specialist NIOA announced the establishment of AMC in late May. It said the new corporation's remit will be to facilitate co-operation between industry, academia, and government in developing and manufacturing missiles and their components and systems.

NIOA added that AMC is a direct response to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's announcement in March that the Australian government plans to manufacture its own missiles and guided weapons under an AUD1 billion (USD775 million) plan to establish a “sovereign guided weapons enterprise” in co-operation with an industry partner.

Morrison said that such capabilities are a requirement to respond to Australia's strategic challenges as well as a need to create new opportunities for jobs and business growth amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The requirement is also outlined in Australia's defence policies. The country's 2020 Force Structure Plan includes an investment of around AUD30 billion for both high-speed strike and defence capabilities, including the development, testing, and evaluation of hypersonic missiles.