President and General Manager, Tactical Missiles Paula Hartley; Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy; and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, cut the ribbon to open the new missile assembly facility in Port Wakefield. Photo: Yorke Peninsula Country Times.
Austinn Lane, Yorke Peninsula Country Times
A new missile manufacturing facility at Proof Range, south of Port Wakefield, is the only site outside the United States authorised to produce the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System.
These precision-guided missiles have a range of more than 70 kilometres.
The facility marks a major step forward in Australia’s missile capability, creating around 20 on-site manufacturing jobs and supporting hundreds more across the national supply chain.
Its official opening on Friday, December 5, was attended by Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas.
Royal Australian Air Force Chief of Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance, Air Marshal Leon Phillips, along with senior representatives from Lockheed Martin, Vice President and General Manager, Tactical Missiles Paula Hartley and Vice President Production Operations, Jennifer McManus, were also present.
Speaking at the opening, Minister Conroy said the new facility marked Australia as the only country outside the US manufacturing GMLRS, which were launched from the truck-mounted High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.
“This is a red-letter day for the Australian defence industry and the defence of the nation,” Minister Conroy said.
“Only a little over 12 months ago, we released the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Plan to start missile production in Australia.
“Today I’m happy to announce that, in a few days’ time, production of missiles in Australia will start.
“Let me repeat that. South Australia is the home to only the second factory in the world, first outside the United States, making these advanced missiles.”
Premier Malinauskas said the new facility would support the state’s growing defence industry and strengthen the nation’s defence capability.
“This is a capability that will dramatically improve the army’s capacity to be able to defend our nation in the event that it would require,” he said.
Marshal Leon Phillips, talk while examining a precision strike missile after touring the missile assembly facility at Port Wakefield. Photo: Kym Smith.
“But more importantly from South Australia’s perspective, this is a clear representation of an economy that is evolving and changing on the back of the defence industry.”
Ms Hartley called the launch a significant milestone for Australia’s sovereign defence capability.
“We’re not just cutting a ribbon today — we’re cutting a path to a stronger, more sovereign Australian defence capability,” she said.
A key aspect of the project has been workforce development.
The first cohort of Australian workers has already completed training at Lockheed Martin’s Camden facility in Arkansas, USA.
The Port Wakefield facility will contribute to Australia’s broader strategy to acquire more long-range strike systems and reduce reliance on overseas suppliers.
This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 9 December 2025.
