Federal Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy announcing the $220 million investment in Mulwala last Friday.
The much-anticipated announcement of a massive cash injection by the Federal Government into local munitions manufacturing factories at Mulwala and Benalla was made last Friday, October 6 at the Bayly Street Mulwala facility.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Federal Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy arrived in Mulwala confirming the government will invest $220 million in munitions production, mainly at Mulwala.
At Mulwala last Friday were: Air Marshal Leon Phillips, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy, Vice President of government relations at Thales Andrew Downs, and Managing Director Australian Munitions Dion Habner following the government's announcement of a $220 million investment.
On his first trip to Mulwala, 44-year-old Mr Conroy said the investment would initially create 45 jobs, with the potential for up to 150 jobs as the facilities expand.
Indications along these lines were outlined by the Yarrawonga Chronicle in August 2022 and March 2023.
Production will significantly boost industrial capacity through infrastructure redevelopment at both sites – ensuring each site is equipped to support future productions demands such as 155mm artillery ammunition - new explosives at Mulwala and enhanced munition manufacturing procedures, including non-destructive testing.
Developed by Department of Defence, the new Resonant Acoustic Mixing technology in place at Mulwala will produce a broader range of advanced munitions, faster and more safely.
This will increase the capacity for production of BLU-III (AUS) aerial bombs used by the Royal Australian Air Force.
“Improving Australia’s ability to manufacture the munitions our defence force needs is not only critical to meeting the strategic challenges we face as a nation, it will also support local industry and well-paid, skilled local jobs,” the minister said.
“The ability to bring the BLU-III (AUS) into operational service as an Australian manufactured munition is a significant milestone in boosting Australia’s defence industry manufacturing capability (See separate story).
“Our investment in these capabilities will accelerate the domestic manufacture of Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance such as 155mm artillery ammunition.”
Minister Conroy said the Mulwala and Benalla ammunition factories underpin Australia’s ability to develop critical propellants, explosives and munitions for the Australian Defence Force.
“This is essential to the future of the Australian Defence Force (ADF); it is essential to us handling the deteriorating strategic circumstances we face, where we see the greatest arms build-up in our region since World War II,” he said.
“The investment will allow Australia to rely less on global supply chains.
“We’ve learned the lessons from the Ukraine conflict that is going on right now and the COVID supply chain crisis - we have to move from just-in-time production to just-in-case capabilities.”
Air Marshal Leon Phillips, chief of guided weapons and explosive ordnance at the ADF, said the investment will ensure the defence force is equipped to support future production demands, such as 155mm artillery ammunition.
“We’ve seen the Ukrainians fire as many 155mm artillery rounds in a single day as Europe might produce in a month,” he said.
“What we’ve seen is that we can’t rest on our laurels; we can’t just assume industry is going to come to the party if we haven’t invested in their infrastructure.
“So the investment today will give us the necessary ability to scale up as we produce weapons in volume moving forward.”
Production Operations Director Mulwala and Benalla Trevor Gunn is always pleased to hear good news stories about Mulwala and Benalla factories.
“It’s magnificent for our facility, for the town and the community,” he re-iterated.
Federation Council Mayor Pat Bourke described the visit’s result as “another big, good news story”.
“It’s promising and creates a good strategic local economy throughout the region and it’s great the government is helping industry munitions in this country.”
With a projected 150 jobs in the latest announcement, there is vacant Crown Land along Bayly Street close to the Thales facility.
“Council has had discussions with Sussan Ley (Federal Member for Farrer and Deputy Opposition Leader) to develop it,” the mayor said.
“I’m hoping council can make some inroads with this possible residential development - it’d be a prized housing development overlooking the lake.”
Plenty of vacant Crown Land in Bayly Street Mulwala would be ideal for residential development which, if became available could see commercial development fronting Bayly Street according to Federation Council.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
Mulwala-based councillor of Federation Council Andrew Kennedy is strongly behind the idea of developing the land in Bayly Street.
“I’ve always said the only way we’re going to get it is with Federal and State Government funding,” he said.
“There’s been little to no infrastructure around the site since the 1940s when the factory was built. That area known as the ‘factory hill’ could look sensational with plenty of housing – we don’t have enough housing now for some of our employees.”
The BLU-III (AUS) aerial bombs
Armament Technicians at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales from No. 3 Squadron, load a new Australian manufactured Bomb Live Unit (BLU 111) configured as a Guided Bomb Unit (GBU-12) onto F-35A Lightning II aircraft A35-040.
First use of the BLU-111(AUS)B/B occurred during September 2021 at RAAF Base Williamtown, where it was used by RAAF F- 35A in a GBU-12 laser guided bomb configuration.
It provides Air Force with improved safety characteristics, while delivering comparable performance to traditional Mk82 500lb warheads. BLU-111(AUS)B/B has been developed and manufactured collaboratively between CASG, DSTG, Australian Munitions and the US Government.
Part of the Federal Government investment will go to the new Resonant Acoustic Mixing technology at Mulwala, which will produce a broader range of advanced munitions faster and more safely.
It will also increase the capacity to produce the BLU-111(AUS) aerial bombs used by the Royal Australian Air Force.
“Just to give an example of the advanced equipment that is coming here, one of them is an acoustic mixer,” Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said.
“So instead of using basic technology - think of a kitchen master mixing up ingredients to make a cake - we use sound waves to mix the explosive ingredients.
“This piece of equipment is the first on the industrial level (in Australia), and that gives us the capability here to ramp up production safely and not just equip the ADF, but export to the rest of the world.”
