Kongsberg Defence Australia managing director John Fry (front, left) shows NSM canister launchers to Ministers Pat Conroy (second from left) and Stephen Mullighan (third from left) at the company’s Mawson Lakes facility in Adelaide. Photo: Kongsberg Defence Australia.
The Australian subsidiary of Norwegian company Kongsberg has received orders for locally manufactured missile equipment to be exported to Europe.
Kongsberg Defence Australia (KDA) received two orders that totalled $80 million and will see Naval Strike Missile (NSM) launchers made in Adelaide exported to Spain and Denmark. This includes finalisation of the January 2025 selection by Poland of KDA’s command and control consoles for its NSM coastal defence system.
The orders were facilitated by parent company Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace in Norway and were made possible through Australia’s NSM procurement contract, which includes an agreement for components to be manufactured in Australia.
KDA was added to the Federal Government’s Global Supply Chain Program in 2024 and has also been made a partner in the Commonwealth’s Sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) program, reflecting the company’s growing manufacturing footprint in Australia.
Apart from its Adelaide production and maintenance facility at Mawson Lakes, where the launcher systems and command and control consoles are assembled, KDA is also building a facility at Newcastle Airport in NSW to assemble NSMs and the air-launched JSM for the Royal Australian Navy and Air Force, respectively.
It has also recently opened a new temporary office in Newcastle as it grows its footprint there in preparation for the expected opening of the permanent facility at the airport in late 2026.
The company said the two new contracts would support 60 skilled jobs at KDA and across its Australian supply chain.
The NSM was selected by the RAN in 2022 to replace the ageing Harpoon anti-ship missile, and was declared operational late last year. It is being fitted to the RAN’s Hobart-class destroyers and Anzac-class frigates.
The JSM will initially be employed from the RAAF’s F-35A Lightning II fighters, and may later be integrated with its F/A-18F Super Hornets and P-8A Poseidon maritime response aircraft.
The NSM and its associated command and control system and launch canisters have also been proposed for the vehicle-based Strikemaster system, which KDA and partner Thales Australia have offered for the Australian Army’s Project LAND 100 Phase 2 land-based maritime strike (LBMS) requirement.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said the government’s efforts to support Australia’s sovereign defence manufacturing industry had reaped benefits with these export deals.
“This is an exciting milestone for Australia’s sovereign defence manufacturing industry and a proud moment for Australian businesses to enter the global supply chain for missile manufacturing,” he said.
“It will be the first time Naval Strike Missile launchers are manufactured outside of Europe and the United States, positioning Australia as a trusted source of supply to the Naval Strike Missile capability.
“These deals underscore the government’s commitment to working alongside our industry partners to strengthen Australia’s role in the global defence industry.”
South Australian Minister for Defence and Space Industries Stephen Mullighan said the contracts were a fantastic result for South Australia’s defence sector.
“These significant contracts will not only boost the workforce at Kongsberg’s Mawson Lakes facility, but also along the supply chain,” he said.
“It’s successes like this that help cement South Australia’s reputation as the Defence State.”
KDA managing director John Fry said the contracts were a significant moment for Australian defence manufacturing and a huge milestone for the company.
“Together with our Australian suppliers, we have demonstrated our determination and competitiveness to be able to deliver to our parent company, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, for international customers, highlighting the capability, quality and reliability of our Australian team and supply chain,” he said.
“The export contracts under the Commonwealth’s Global Supply Chain Program are creating opportunities in the international market for our local suppliers, which is a fantastic outcome for Australian Defence industry.”
