Supporting Australian soldiers for over a century
For over 110 years, the Lithgow Small Arms Factory has played a critical role in providing the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with cutting edge, locally-made technology. Since opening in 1912, Lithgow Arms has underpinned our national defence capabilities, as a manufacturer and supplier of small arms for Australian soldiers to use in battlefields around the world. The factory now designs and manufactures military-grade rifles used by Australian forces (EF88), as well as sporting rifles for civilian use. Lithgow Arms remains a critical sovereign capability, not only through manufacturing but also across the capabilities of research, design, development, integration and sustainment.
Supporting the Dismounted Close Combatant, now and in the future
Thales’s number one priority is ensuring that our products provide Australian soldiers with a capability advantage.
The future of Lithgow Arms and dismounted close combatant more broadly lies in a transformation of our industrial footprint.
Kinetic weapons and payloads will continue to underpin the ADF’s capabilities over the next decade, and the transformation of Lithgow Arms will ensure that it continues to be Australia’s centre of excellence in small arms research, design, development and manufacture for generations.
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Modernisation Investment
Contact Thales in Australia
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In order to meet the growing demand and technical complexities required to equip militaries of the future, Thales is investing in modernisation of the Lithgow Arms facility to strengthen and broaden the industrial capability of the facility.
Over the past ten years more than $70m has been invested in site infrastructure and equipment to modernise small arms manufacturing, most recently the $1.8m investment in a honing machine for the rifle production line. Read more
Thales is committed to growing local industrial capability through continued investment in R&D and ongoing partnerships with local manufacturers and overseas research institutions. Read More
The current focus of site R&D is on emerging technologies including 3D printing and advanced optical capabilities, for integration into the next generation of small arms for the ADF.
Australian Industrial Capability
Thales has a long-term commitment to growing and maintaining an enduring, sustainable and resilient sovereign industrial capability for the Australian Defence Force in regional New South Wales.
Supporting Sovereign Industry Capability via Diversification
The Thales defence manufacturing capability at Lithgow has been recognised by Rheinmetall Defence Australia with the signing of a contract to industrialise and manufacture major subsystems of the MK 30-2 30mm airburst cannon system for L400-2 vehicles.
Thales is achieving 95% ACE and has engaged a wide range of SMEs to supply materials, castings and components into the Australian manufactured subsystems.
Our people
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Thales employs over 160 full time staff across all trades and backgrounds in Lithgow. Everyone takes enormous pride in producing quality solutions for the ADF. The team includes local experts, former military personnel and people with international experience from some of the world’s most renowned arms manufacturers.
Thales has developed the Enterprise Technicians Program to create Lithgow’s workforce of the future. The Program includes traditional activities for apprentices as well as skills development in engineering disciplines such as Mechanical, Mechatronic, Electrical, Software and Digitisation.
This year there are nine apprentices in the program with plans to grow numbers in the future.
Read more about our partnership with Skillset.
Listen to our people
Defence in Australia
- Defence in Australia
- Air
- Air Traffic Management
- Aviation Training and Simulation
- Avionics Maintenance and Repair
- Drones and Urban Air Mobility
- Advanced air defence
- Land
- Protected Mobility Vehicles
- Australian Sovereign Small Arms Capability
- Explosive Ordnance Services
- Land Training and Simulation
- Connected Digital Battlespace
- Sea
- Above Water Systems
- Maritime Sustainment and Support
- Underwater Systems
- Mine Warfare
- Thales Acoustics Centre of Excellence
- Sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise
- Smart Sustainment Services