Tel Aviv. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will help NIOA’s Australian Missile Corporation to fulfil the Australian government’s vision of developing sovereign Australian defence capabilities. The cooperation will be based on technology transfer and joint funding of certain programs.
Sources said that in the discussions so far the Australians showed interest in some existing and future missile programs of IAI. IAI is developing different categories of missiles, like the Barak family which is used by India and other missiles that are in use by the Israeli air force. IAI is also manufacturing the fully operational Arrow ballistic missiles interceptor.
Both companies declared that they believe that the joint capabilities are synergetic and the joint effort will provide leading innovative local solutions for the benefit of Australian industries. On 31 March 2021, the Australian Prime Minster announced the creation of a new Enterprise to support missile and guided weapons manufacturing for use across the Australian Defence Force.
“It’s an imperative we now proceed with the creation of a sovereign guided weapons capability as a priority, accelerating this process following the idea first being explored in the Force Structure Plan.” Australian Defence Minister, Peter Dutton, added “The manufacturing and supply of weapons in Australia will not only benefit and enhance our ADF operational capacity but will ensure we have adequate supply of weapon stock holdings to sustain combat operations if global supply chains are disrupted”.
Robert Nioa, CEO of NIOA and the Australian Missile Corporation welcomed the support from IAI. “Working with highly capable organizations such as IAI is critical to the success of the Commonwealth’s sovereign guided weapons enterprise. We welcome any opportunity to bring leading technologies to Australia to enhance the capability of the Australian Defence Force.”
IAI Australian based MD Oded Sheshinski said, “IAI’s strategy to support Australian companies establish their own sovereign capability is based on the successful transfer of knowledge and knowhow to selected governments and companies worldwide, providing those countries with, and enabling real sovereign capability”.
Boaz Levy, IAI’s President & CEO said, “IAI brings state of the art capabilities, technological excellence and knowhow, and vast combat proven experience, accumulated over many years. We are happy to join hands with NOIA in establishing sovereign Australian defence capabilities”.
-The writer is an International Roving Correspondent of the publication.
