Anti-ship cruise missiles to be manufactured in Williamtown Highlight Section Myall Coast Port Stephens by News Of The Area - Modern Media - August 28, 2024 HMAS Sydney fires Navy’s first naval strike missile off the Hawaiian coast during Exercise Rim of the Pacific in July. Photo: Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman. MISSILES will be manufactured and serviced at Williamtown through a $850 million partnership between the Federal Government and Kongsberg Defence Australia. Announced last week, a factory will be constructed in the Newcastle Airport precinct that will manufacture and service naval strike missiles (NSM) and joint strike missiles (JSM) to be used by the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The deal will make the Williamtown site one of only two facilities in the world capable of producing the missiles. The JSM – which can be fitted to F-35A aircraft – and NSM are modern anti-ship cruise missiles designed to defeat enemy warships. Both can also be deployed against land-based targets. The NSM will enhance the maritime and land strike capabilities of Hobart-class destroyers and Anzac-class frigates, and will replace the Harpoon anti-ship missile. HMAS Sydney test-fired a NSM in July 2024. “This is about investing in our advanced, high-tech manufacturing industry and developing our sovereign defence industrial base in areas which have been identified as strategic priorities, which in turn means we can accelerate capability delivery to the ADF,” said Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Minister Pat Conroy. Construction is expected to begin later this year. Once complete, the factory is expected to employ approximately 100 people.
