SYDNEY, December 5 /TASS/. Production of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) will begin at a new factory in southern Australia. This was announced by the country's Minister of Defense Richard Marles.
The statement of the head of the ministry noted that the factory built by Lockheed Martin Australia in the city of Port Wakefield (100 km north of Adelaide) will begin operations at the end of 2025. The plant's facilities will produce GMLRS precision-guided munitions for the Australian Army.
“The implementation of this project has become part of the efforts of the (Australian Prime Minister Anthony) Albanese government, which has allocated more than 21 billion Australian dollars (about 14 billion USD) to purchase and produce long-range strike systems for the country's armed forces,” the minister said.
The GMLRS ammunition is expected to be used in conjunction with the HIMARS high mobility artillery rocket system recently purchased by Canberra as part of the Australian Army's strengthening and modernization program. It was previously reported that the Australian armed forces received the first two M142 HIMARS multiple launch missile systems from the United States in March this year. A total of 42 such facilities have been purchased, which are expected to be in use by the end of 2027.
