The ESSM is a medium-range, surface-to-air missile designed to protect naval vessels from advanced anti-ship cruise missile threats. For more than 20 years, Victorian-based Ronson Gears has supported the program, supplying highly specialised Gear Kits for the Thrust Vector Control unit — components that require exceptional precision and technical expertise.
Throughout the current BAE Systems production contract, Ronson Gears enhanced its internal capabilities and capacity, enabling it to achieve production rates previously unmatched while maintaining a “right first time” quality focus.
Through resilience and close collaboration with our partners, we strengthened our operations and delivered outstanding results, achieving new levels of production efficiency without compromising quality.”Gavin New, Managing Director of Ronson Gears
In January 2026, Ronson Gears successfully completed the contract in line with the final original delivery milestone. The company has since progressed to its next contract phase, further increasing production capacity and working closely with its supply chain to drive continuous improvement.
Australian companies such as Ronson Gears play an integral role in BAE Systems’ supply chain, contributing directly to the successful delivery of critical defence capabilities such as ESSM.
Founded in Melbourne in 1954 by Ronald Charles New, Ronson Gears was established to meet the gearing needs of local industry. More than 70 years on, the company continues to serve Australian customers while expanding its global footprint.
“We remain proud to support our long-standing local customer base, while also meeting growing demand from organisations around the world,” Gavin New said. “Today, Ronson Gears supplies precision components across a diverse range of industries, from space to undersea mining.”