French group Thales will establish Australian manufacturing of M795 155mm artillery ammunition, used in howitzers, at an Australian government-owned munitions factory in the small Victorian town of Benalla.

It will be the first dedicated forge outside the United States, with production beginning in 2028 and capacity to increase to produce 100,000 rounds per year.

Last year, the war in Ukraine required 10,000 155mm artillery shells per day, exceeding European production, he said.

“In a world of supply chain disruption and strategic fragility, Australia must not only acquire more missiles, but also manufacture more here at home,” he said.

In August, Australia announced that it would jointly manufacture long-range naval strike missiles and joint strike missiles with Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense in the city of Newcastle on Australia’s east coast, the only site outside Norway.

Earlier this month, Australia announced a A$7 billion deal with the United States to acquire long-range SM-2 IIIC and Raytheon SM-6 missiles for its navy.

The Australian Navy will also have Tomahawk missiles, with a range of 2,500 km, by the end of the year, increasing the range of the fleet’s weapons by 10 times.