Back to the Future at Woomera - Not with the Brits but with the US

News out today reports that ‘Australian-made Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles’ have been successfully test-fired at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia. While this is good news for the establishment of sovereign Australian defence capacity, the fine print of the mission arrangements reveal a solid US involvement in the processes.

The successful firing of the missiles plainly expands the long-range strike capability of the Australian Army. In revealing this news today, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said this demonstrates the Albanese Government’s commitment to building the nation’s ‘sovereign defence industry’.

Here’s a gallery of photographs of the test firing of the missiles supplied by Defence, credit Andrew Green, and appropriately captioned: The first Australian-manufactured Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles are test fired at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia on 9 April, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the development of Australia’s defence industrial base.

The surface-to-surface missile is capable of precisely striking targets beyond traditional artillery range. It is launched from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) that has been acquired under the Australian Army’s long-range fires program.

Australian-made GMLRS missiles are reported to have the potential to provide a pathway for future long‑range fires munitions – such as the Precision Strike Missile and hypersonic weapons – to be locally manufactured.

This test-firing follows the December 2025 opening of a new dedicated facility at Port Wakefield, South Australia.

It is intended that Australian suppliers will be progressively introduced into the GMLRS supply chain thanks to the Albanese Government’s $320 million commitment to uplift local companies to manufacture GMLRS components.

This is the third live-fire conducted by Australian HIMARS since their delivery in March 2025, demonstrating, the Government says, the accelerated delivery and training systems in place to achieve initial operational capability.

Minster Conroy said that “Making missiles in Australia is central to Australia’s national defence resilience”, adding that “Australia is now the only country outside the United States to make the GMLRS missile, providing opportunities for Australian industry to enter into global supply chains.”

GMLRS is a surface‑to‑surface precision rocket, fired from the HIMARS launcher. It’s designed to strike targets well beyond traditional artillery range with high accuracy. It is said to be the backbone munition for HIMARS systems used by the US, UK, and many NATO partners.

The Australian-made GMLRS is the same family as the US system, so ranges depend on the variant: the Standard GMLRS is reported to have a range of 70–85 km, with an Extended Range GMLRS (ER‑GMLRS) apparently tested by Lockheed Martin to 150 km in recent trials.

While making missiles in Australia undoubtedly enhances Australia’s sovereign capabilities, the fact is they are being manufactured under US licence and oversight.

The GMLRS is a Lockheed Martin system. Australia’s production line is being verified to US standards by US government personnel. The program includes US export licensing and assurance processes.

The manufacturing at Port Wakefield, SA is being done by a partnership between the Australian Department of Defence and Lockheed Martin Australia, with key construction and fit‑out work delivered by Intract Australia, an Indigenous‑owned company.

The facility is designed to meet US standards so the missiles are fully compatible with US inventories.

While the UK is a major GMLRS user (via M270 launchers), it is not involved in Australia’s manufacturing program.

Historically, of course, back in the 1950s, the UK and Australia collaborated at Woomera on missile testing, but that is unrelated to the current GMLRS program.

*By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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