Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Thales test GMLRS warhead in Australia

The first Australian-manufactured GMLRSs are test-fired from HIMARS at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia in April. (Commonwealth of Australia)

The Australian subsidiaries of Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Thales have conducted a live detonation of a co-developed warhead at a test range near Bourke, New South Wales, it was announced on 22 May.

Lockheed Martin said the three companies produced and demonstrated the warhead in 11 weeks. The warhead, manufactured by Northrop Grumman with support from Thales, is intended to be integrated with Lockheed Martin's Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) precision munition.

The Australian Army employs GMLRS through its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, which can engage targets at a range of more than 70 km, Lockheed Martin said. Australia ordered 42 HIMARSs in two batches in 2022 and 2023 and received an initial two HIMARSs from the United States in March 2025.

The joint initiative represents Australia's efforts towards establishing a domestic guided weapon warhead production capability, Lockheed Martin said. “The successful demonstration highlighted a low-risk, rapid pathway to capability while underscoring the strength of collaboration across Australian defence industry partners,” the company added.

Chief executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand Jeremy King said the demonstration showcased Canberra's ability to locally design, manufacture, and test production-quality warhead technologies. “It marks an important step forward toward achieving the Commonwealth's Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) objectives,” he added.

In line with GWEO objectives, Lockheed Martin began production of GMLRS all-up rounds (AURs) and launch pod containers at a new missile assembly facility in Port Wakefield, South Australia, in December 2025. In April Australia test-fired the first locally made GMLRSs at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia.