Boosting Australia's Rocket Motor Production Capabilities

The recent acquisition of a dozen new families of long-range missiles, coupled with Defence's Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise, has underscored the need to bolster Australia's domestic rocket motor production capabilities.

Central to this mission is the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), which has embarked on a multifaceted journey to support Defence in achieving this ambitious goal. DSTG's Advanced Rocket Motor Technology Demonstrator (ARMTD) Program, initiated in 2021, leverages DSTG's decades of advances science and technology expertise alongside industry.

Thales Australia, the industry lead for this program, provides the industrial scale propellant manufacturing and filling expertise, utilising the Government-owned, contractor operated explosive ordnance production and non-destructive testing facilities at Mulwala and Benalla. These state-of-the-art facilities are pivotal in the production and non-destructive testing of explosive ordnance. Beyond manufacturing, Thales Australia provides a comprehensive systems engineering framework and meticulous supply chain management, supporting a burgeoning network of Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs). These SMEs are integral in crafting advanced inert rocket motor components, crucial to the Program's success.

In this endeavour, Australia's rocket motor production is not just about meeting present needs; it is about carving out a future where the country stands resilient and self-reliant in advanced defence capabilities. With the support of DSTG and industry leaders like Thales Australia, the vision of manufacturing rocket motors on Australian soil is rapidly becoming a reality.

Read more about the progress of the ARMTD program in the DST Outlook article, Helping to manufacture rocket motors on Australian soil.