RAA Liaison Letter – 2025 / 2026 Edition 102 References Air Combat Command. (2024, October). Multiservice tactics, techniques, and procedures for air control communications (ATP 3-52.4 / MCRP 320F.10 / NTTP 6-02.9 / AFTTP 3-2.8). Air Land Sea Application Center. https://www.alsa.mil Air Land Sea Application Center. (2022, May 15). Coordination measures (Roberts, R., Shafer, A., & Pope, P.). Air Land Sea Application Center. https://www.alsa.mil Department of the Army. (2020, July 1). FM 3-01: U.S. Army air and missile defense operations. Headquarters, Department of the Army. Joint Chiefs of Staff. (2014, November 13). Joint publication 3-52: Joint airspace control. U.S. Department of Defense. https://www.jcs.mil Australian GMLRS: assembled in Australia, but made in America (so far) 13 April 2026 Madi Jones ‘The Strategist’ ASPI Staff Test shot of one of the first GMLRS missiles assembled in Australia (Image: Andrew Green Department of Defence. They were assembled in Australia but not really made in Australia. Lockheed Martin GMLRS missiles lately test-fired in Australia were the first delivered from an Australian factory, and the 13 April announcement of the shots is a milestone worth celebrating. But at this early stage the Australian production process for GMLRS surface-to-surface rounds is still only the putting together of parts imported from the United States. End-to-end production for various types of missiles in Australia is the goal. Having a selfreliant missile-making capability means being able to sustain, adapt and replenish in times of pressure, which demands the sharing of fabrication technology, implementation of full manufacturing capability, and skills transfer to Australia. At present, if the US supply fails, so does the Australian assembly line for GMLRS (pronounced ‘Gimmlers’). The Australian Defence Force’s access to missiles is improved only slightly by the assembly activity done at Lockheed Martin’s new plant at Port Wakefield, South Australia. The key benefit is that Australia is beginning to help build up global industrial capability for GMLRS. Assembly is also a toe in the door in building trust with the US for licensing and deeper technologysharing in the future. GMLRS is a ground-battle weapon, an artillery rocket that has an officially stated range of 70 km and is mostly launched from Himars trucks. Typical targets include enemy force concentrations, command posts and supply dumps. Beyond GMLRS, Australia is looking to build much more sophisticated missiles, such as PRSM and hypersonic weapons. Deeper Australian manufacturing of GMLRS itself is intended. In the announcement of the test shots (dates for which weren’t disclosed) Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said, ‘Australian suppliers will be progressively introduced into the GMLRS supply chain thanks to the … government’s A$320 million commitment to uplift local companies to manufacture GMLRS components.’ Nonetheless, Australia is so far receiving only limited production technology under the GMLRS arrangement with Lockheed Martin, because of US government restrictions. Washington strictly controls its missile technologies, particularly those for seekers and guidance. Even following the precedent of AUKUS technology sharing agreements, advanced missile technologies remain on the exclusions list. Aiming at deeper technology sharing, Australia has so far secured an agreement to produce some GMLRS components beginning in 2029. This will be the next step in building industrial depth, though it is unclear which parts these would be. If controls on technology sharing don’t change, Australia will always rely on importing the systems that give GMLRS its high accuracy. Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosives Ordnance plan was that local manufacturing would ensure the ADF’s missile supplies. With most of our missiles being acquired from the US, Australia has high single-source dependency. But opening a Lockheed Martin assembly line in Australia has not addressed this.
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