QinetiQ partners AMC on guided weapons

The Australian Missile Corporation (AMC) – a company set up in May 2021 by local munitions specialist NIOA – has announced a partnership with QinetiQ to bid to develop weapons systems for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

AMC said on 30 November that QinetiQ would support its growing number of industry alliances that are aimed at developing in Australia guided weapons and explosive ordnance capabilities.

QinetiQ, which employs approximately 600 people through its Australian subsidiary, indicated that its role in the partnership would seek to leverage its capabilities including testing and evaluation (T&E), certification, and systems assurance.

Greg Barsby, managing director of QinetiQ Australia, said in a press release that his company is “actively investing” in developing T&E capabilities in Australia.

QinetiQ is the latest of several foreign and local defence firms that have agreed to partner AMC in bidding for work associated with Australia's efforts to develop domestic guided weapons capability.

Other companies include MBDA, Day & Zimmermann, Austal, Saab, TAE Aerospace, L3Harris, Israel Aerospace Industries, Quickstep, and Moog Australia.

Under the Australian government's weapons plan, it wants to invest AUD1 billion (USD775 million) in supporting local industry capability and creating a ‘Sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise'.

The government issued a request for information to support the investment in July. Selected industry partners are expected to be announced in early 2022.

AMC, which is based in Queensland, announced on 25 November a plan to support its bid for weapons contracts by setting up a satellite office in Canberra.