Australia Chooses Lockheed, Raytheon for $1B Guided Weapons Project

The Australian government has advanced its $1 billion weapons program in announcing Raytheon Australia and Lockheed Martin Australia as partners of the Sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise.

“We will be working with them (Lockheed Martin and Raytheon) to rapidly increase our ability to maintain and manufacture guided weapons and their components in Australia,” Defence Minister Peter Dutton said.

The minister added that three Australian-based companies – The Australian Missile Corporation, The Sovereign Missile Alliance and Aurecon Advisory – would support the prime contractors as sovereign industry partners of the enterprise.

The announcement comes as Dutton officially opened a new $96 million maintenance facility for Navy guided weapons at Orchard Hills in Western Sydney. “The facility is a world-first for its inherent safety and functionality and will include advanced software to optimise weapons maintenance,” he said.