BAE Systems

"BAE Systems Australia’s core engineering capability underpins our ability to work across the full life cycle of a weapons systems program"

Gabby Costigan, CEO, BAE Systems Australia

 
   
Australia’s future investment in high speed weapons systems, including hypersonic long-range strike and hypersonic and ballistic missile defence, provides the opportunity for Australia to create an enduring sovereign capability and position the nation as a major global contributor in this disruptive and important technology field.
 
Successfully creating this capability on home soil will require the knowledge and experience of the research and technology community, led by DST Group and academia, to combine with the very best industrial capabilities that Australia and our allies have to offer.
 
As the leading Sovereign weapons system developer, BAE Systems Australia today stands ready to partner with the Commonwealth as the industry lead to support the advancement of the Nation’s high speed weapons capabilities, and in doing so provide a solid foundation for a more sustainable and successful local defence industry.
 
We are committed to a successful Australian High Speed Weapons program and the development of world leading operational capabilities for Australia.
 

Australia's only weapons developer

  
BAE Systems Australia is the only industry partner with established in-country engineering capability in the development of complex weapons systems.
 
For more than 30 years, we have been a key partner and Australian Industry Lead in programs such as HiFiRE, the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), Nulka and the Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM) programs. Successful delivery of these programs demonstrated our ability to work closely with Defence to grow our capability as a highly effective industry partner.
 
Be it designing and prototyping, or manufacturing, sustaining and integrating weapons systems, our success across Australia’s weapons systems programs has provided us with the deep experience and technical expertise that has allowed us to form a very mature in-country capability.
  
 
hardware
 

Building a Sovereign Industry

 
Over the past 65 years, BAE Systems Australia has worked to build an unparalleled local supply chain capability though the delivery of hundreds of defence projects for the Commonwealth.
 

Today, we support 1,600 local companies as part of our $18 billion global supply chain.

 
In 2020 we committed over $770m worth of work with Australian suppliers, representing over 76% of our total spend throughout the year, of this $54m was spent directly with Australian small-to-medium enterprises.
 
Australia’s High Speed Weapons program provides an opportunity to accelerate Australia’s already significant weapons systems technology and knowledge base, while creating a globally competitive sovereign industry and supply chain for Australia.
 
Our substantial role in successful weapons system projects provides us with a unique knowledge of Australia’s current specialised industrial capability, essential for supporting a successful Australian High Speed Weapon program.
 
Our aim is to use the current foundation to grow an eco-system that brings together the best of Industry and Academia and make a greater contribution to protecting the nation and growing the Australian economy.
 

US collaboration at its best

 
BAE Systems Australia has a rich history of working closely with other Defence companies from around the world, particularly US Primes, on weapons systems programs. This has helped us create a strong culture of collaboration that is critical in delivering complex weapons system capabilities to both the Australian and US defence forces.
 
Our teams continue to play a major role in the ESSM program with the manufacture of the Thrust Vector Control system, the aerodynamic surfaces and elements of the guidance section.
 
The roles we have performed on key weapons systems programs, including HiFiRE, Nulka, ESSM and ASRAAM have differed depending on the need of the Commonwealth or US Government.
 
As a result, today we have deep experience in both, the prime or key subcontractor role on these complex programs.
 
Nulka Active Missile Decoy
ESSM