Ahead of the first firing of Australian-made long-range strike missiles, Australian engineers at the Port Wakefield manufacturing facility have been learning critical skills of the missile manufacturing trade. 

They are manufacturing the guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) with US specialists, the first time the missiles have been produced outside the US.

Port Wakefield production site lead West Miller relocated from Arkansas to support Lockheed Martin Australia as it established GMLRS production for the Australian high mobility artillery rocket system.

Mr Miller has many years of long-range missile manufacturing experience at Lockheed Martin’s Camden facility in Arkansas, including GMLRS, Army tactical missile system and precision strike missile.

At Port Wakefield, he oversees facility operations and training Australian staff in GMLRS production.

While GMLRS has been manufactured in the US since the early 2000s, establishing production in Australia introduced new challenges.

“The first time for anything is complex, but the first time doing something completely on the opposite side of the world to where home base is takes it to another level,” Mr Miller said.

The team consists of 14 people, evenly split between American and Australian personnel. 

'The first time that we have production of the GMLRS family of munitions outside of the US is something to be proud of. It's unique, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.'

Mr Miller said the mix of experience, technical skills and working styles had created a strong team.

The US training model is delivered in three phases. Australian engineers complete web-based learning covering Lockheed Martin policies, procedures and safety requirements, before progressing to instructor-led training on missile manufacturing. 

The skills being transferred have been improved upon for years via continuous improvement models, and are critical to the success of the team and product outcomes. 

The final stage is on-the-job training, where the Australian staff apply formal work instructions and procedures to build GMLRS.

“The engineers that we have here in-country aren't trained any different than the engineers in Camden,” Mr Miller said.

Before transitioning to live production, the team manufactured 12 inert missiles, allowing the engineers to refine processes and build confidence.

“The first time that we have production of the GMLRS family of munitions outside of the US is something to be proud of. It's unique, a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Mr Miller said.

The team watched the first firing of GMLRS they built earlier this month at the Woomera range complex. 

“Our team's very excited and energised about that, seeing the fruits of your labour. Just the initial launch of the GMLRS makes it all worth it,” Mr Miller said.