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The multinational prime contractor has agreed to support the AMC-led push to deliver sovereign guided weapons capability to the ADF.
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The Australian Missile Corporation (AMC), founded by Queensland-based munitions company NIOA, has named Elbit Systems of Australia (ELSA) as the latest member of its industry consortium, entering a strategic alliance to support the bid to establish a Sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise (GWEOE) for the ADF.
The initiative aims to address gaps by providing stakeholders, both SMEs and established primes, with opportunities in advanced manufacturing through the establishment of industry partnerships.
In joining AMC, ELSA is expected to leverage its decade-long experience in delivering services to Defence, drawing from its global network, which includes NATO and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
Robert Nioa, CEO of NIOA and the AMC, welcomed ELSA’s partnership.
"We are excited that ELSA has become a part of the AMC vision,” he said.
“Their broad range of capabilities will be invaluable at all stages of the Sovereign Guided Weapons Enterprise process.”
Elbit Systems of Australia managing director Major General (Ret'd) Paul McLachlan, AO, CSC, said the company would provide innovative development and customisation to AMC.
“We would look forward to playing a role in transferring technology from global product lines to local industry partners for manufacture, assembly, integration, and support outcomes,” he added.
ELSA is the latest of several local and international stakeholders to join AMC.
Other members include Austal, Quickstep, Moog Australia, Black Sky Aerospace, Thomas Global Systems, Day & Zimmermann, and MBDA.
AMC will face competition from Electro Optic Systems (EOS) and Nova Systems, which have also expressed interest in the program, jointly establishing the Sovereign Missile Alliance (SMA).
Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales Australia also finalised a teaming agreement to facilitate co-operation in the design, development and production of Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Anti-Ship Missile – Surface Launch variant.
Defence recently published a request for information on AusTender, seeking input from defence industry and academia regarding capacity and interest in supporting the GWEOE.
Defence is in the process of defining key requirements for the enterprise.
[Related: MBDA joins AMC’s guided munitions bid]
Charbel Kadib
News Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media
Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.
