Avalon Airport Secures Lockheed Defense Partnership

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Lockheed Martin Australia has signed a Teaming Agreement with Avalon Airport to advance guided weapons production as part of the Australian Government’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Plan.

Under the agreement, Lockheed Martin will lease a facility at Avalon Airport to store equipment essential for the domestic assembly of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) munitions. These rockets are used in the Australian Army’s recently delivered HIMARS launch vehicles. The site will hold testing equipment, tooling, and fixtures before they are moved to Defense’s new manufacturing facility.

Avalon Airport is owned and operated by the Linfox Group, one of Asia-Pacific’s largest privately-owned logistics companies. Its transport and logistics hub will support Lockheed Martin’s operational and production needs, helping to establish sovereign capability in Australia’s defense sector.

Warren McDonald, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, described the partnership as a significant step toward building local defense industry capacity. “This is an important milestone in the delivery of GMLRS production by the end of 2025 and the establishment of a sovereign guided weapons manufacturing capability in Australia,” he said. McDonald added that the agreement would strengthen domestic supply chains and support regional economic growth while advancing the government’s GWEO objectives.

As a GWEO Strategic Partner, Lockheed Martin is working with the Commonwealth, Defense, industry, and academia to expand guided weapons production in Australia. The company is also assessing options to create a permanent facility at Avalon Airport to produce and assemble non-explosive munition components. According to McDonald, Australian-made components will increase supply chain resilience and contribute to strengthening the country’s industrial base.

David Fox, Executive Chairman of Linfox Airports, welcomed the agreement, noting Avalon Airport’s growing role in national defense. “Avalon is proud to partner with Lockheed Martin in this new development. The airport’s strategic location between Melbourne and Geelong, alongside key Defense operations at Point Wilson, makes it an ideal site for supporting sovereign defense capabilities,” he said.

Fox highlighted that Avalon’s industrial precinct already employs more than 2,000 workers and that the addition of Lockheed Martin will expand its contribution to Australia’s defense sector.

The agreement reflects the Australian Government’s broader efforts to build sovereign capability under the GWEO Enterprise. With partnerships between global defense companies and local industry, Avalon Airport is set to play an important role in advancing Australia’s guided weapons manufacturing capacity.