Lockheed Martin Australia has tapped Moog Australia to design and produce the control actuation system (CAS) for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), reinforcing the country’s drive to develop a sovereign missile-manufacturing base. The CAS is the part of the missile that manages in-flight steering and stabilization, making it central to GMLRS accuracy and reliability. As part of the deal, Moog Australia will build a pilot production line and partner with local manufacturers to make key components for the CAS. The initiative will expand domestic know-how, strengthen industrial resilience, and limit reliance on imported systems. Supported by engineering expertise from its US parent — Moog Inc. — the company will transfer critical technologies to its Australian workforce to speed up integration. The GMLRS, fired from the HIMARS launcher, is one of the world’s most proven precision rockets, boasting a range of more than 70 kilometres. The system’s battlefield success, including its role in Ukraine, has prompted many countries to expand production. The Moog Australia agreement stems from a A$37.4 million (US $24.3 million) partnership signed in 2024 between Lockheed Martin and the Australian government. Under the same framework, Thales Australia will supply the rocket motors and explosive warheads for missiles built domestically. Lockheed Martin plans to begin GMLRS production in Australia this year, ultimately aiming to reach up to 4,000 missiles per year — a figure that would make the country responsible for over a quarter of current global GMLRS output and far more than the ADF’s own annual requirement. The project is part of Canberra’s broader Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) program, designed to localize critical defense manufacturing and strengthen supply-chain independence. By pairing a global defense prime with a local engineering firm, the contract accelerates technology transfer, builds skilled jobs, and embeds Australia deeper within the allied precision-strike industrial network.
