NIOA welcomes plan for Aussie rocket manufacturing facility

Supporting this pledge from the government, Rob Nioa, CEO of NIOA, said this represents the government’s continued efforts to initial commitments of low-rate production for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System.

“An Australian facility would deliver hundreds of skilled Australian jobs in the manufacture and testing of propulsion systems for these key munitions, contributing to our own future orders of these critical guided weapons,” Nioa said.

Recently extending ongoing contracts with L3Harris to provide large-scale rocket motors and warhead manufacturing capabilities, NIOA said this will ensure “maximum viability of a RMMC”.

Along with the US Department of War’s recent $1 billion investment into L3Harris’ Missile Solutions, Rob Nioa said this is leverage the Australian defence industry can and is building on.

“L3Harris now brings the US DOW with them to our proposed SRM and warhead solution to the ADF. There is no possible stronger partnership for NIOA or the Australian nation,” he said.

“It would also be fully integrated into L3Harris’ supply chain, creating scale through the filling of US DOW orders and support Northrop Grumman and a range of other manufacturers.

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“The recently updated 2026 National Defence Strategy identified Australia’s force posture cooperation with the US as ‘a key pillar in our ability to deter and respond and in strengthening the credibility and resilience of the US force posture in the region’.

“...the NIOA-L3Harris partnership offers a significant contribution to deterrence in our region and in enhancing the munitions industrial base that underpins Australia’s force posture cooperation with the US.”