The Australia Government has announced a deal to team up with a global weapons manufacturer to develop its own guided missiles, bolstering the country’s defence capabilities.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, announced the establishment of a one-billion-Australian-dollar (760 million-dollar) sovereign guided arms enterprise at a faster pace.
Morrison’s office said in the statement that it would support missile and guided arms production for the Australian military
However, it was reported that the Department of Defence was searching for a business partner to help them manage a new weapons production plant.
To keep Australians secure, Morrison said it was important to develop a sovereign capability on Australian soil.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, being able to rely on ourselves, whether in vaccine production or defence is critical to meeting our own needs in an evolving global environment,” Morrison said.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton announced that Australia would cooperate closely with the US on the initiative.
According to Melissa Price, Minister of Defence Industry, the new enterprise could be worth 40 billion Australian dollars in local development and export over the next two decades.
