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Thales and Chemring have today signed an MoU for strategic co-operation in the design, development and manufacture of a future range of grenades, enhancing Australia’s key sovereign industrial capability priority for munitions and small arms research, design, development and manufacture.
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The strategic co-operation of Thales and Chemring in the area of hand grenade development brings together the global expertise of the two companies and their significant design and manufacturing capabilities within Australia, both of whom have proven records with grenades in-service.
The 'Family of Grenade' product range will be designed and manufactured at the Commonwealth-owned facilities at Benalla in Victoria and Mulwala in NSW, along with Chemring's production facility at Lara in Victoria. The integrated product range will include fragmentation, offensive, smoke and training products.
Dion Habner, managing director of Thales’ Benalla and Mulwala facilities, said, "Thales is delighted to be working with Chemring to meet the future hand grenade requirements of the Australian Defence Force. We are committed to enhancing the technology advantage available to Australian soldiers, this range will provision for through-life upgrade pathways to enable integration of the latest technologies now and in the future."
This agreement envisages the design and manufacture of a modular hand grenade product range where the battlefield effect can be selected by the user based upon the mission scenario.
Design and development of the product range will focus on the current and future needs of the ADF, with the range also being made available for export customers in support of the Australian government Defence Export Strategy.
"This MOU between Chemring Australia and Thales leverages our unique capabilities to deliver effective military pyrotechnic solutions to the warfighter and is a further demonstration of Australian manufacturers of explosive ordnance as a strategic input to capability for the Australian Defence Force," said Joe Farrah, managing director of Chemring Australia.
Chemring Australia is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of high-quality energetic materials and products for the defence and safety markets. It manufactures and supplies a range of air and sea-launched countermeasures, ammunition natures, military and commercial pyrotechnics and supports a range of military electronic systems in the EW, counter-IED and explosive ordnance disposal domains.
Thales has strong affiliations with the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), as well as leading tertiary institutions in Australia.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
