Norwegian defence company Kongsberg announced on 10 December that it had successfully performed the first-ever launch of a representative Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from an Australian-made launcher at the Commonwealth Joint Proofing Experimental Unit (JPEU) in Port Wakefield, South Australia.
According to Kongsberg, the test was conducted under the auspices of the Australian Department of Defence (DoD)’s Project SEA 1300 Phase 1-Navy Guided Weapons programme and involved a Blast Test Vehicle (BTV), which comprises a NSM Booster Rocket Motor and a dummy missile to test full launcher functionality in a live-firing environment.
The company added that the locally built launcher was assembled from components supplied by Australian companies. For example, the launcher canister from the Adelaide-based advanced composite and sheet metal manufacturing company and the frame and rail from Melbourne-based Marand Precision Engineering. Complex precision machined components for the launcher were also manufactured by Australian Precision Technologies in Melbourne and QPE Advanced Machining in Adelaide.
“This successful BTV firing from an Australian-made launcher is a key milestone in the delivery of the NSM capability to the Royal Australian Navy,” said Kongsberg Defence Australia Managing Director John Fry.
“It now allows Kongsberg Defence Australia to commence full-rate production of Australian-made NSM launchers for the NSM program,” added Fry.
The Australian government earlier announced plans for further investments in developing an indigenous guided weapon subsystems and rocket motor manufacturing capability to support advanced missile production within the country. The effort is underpinned by the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise is being funded by up to A$21 billion over the decade through the 2024 Integrated Investment Program.
Kongsberg is a GWEO Strategic Partner and has asserted that it will work with Australian small and medium enterprises to create a sovereign missile capability.
by Jr Ng
Discussion about this post