Australian Firm APT Lands Contract for Naval Strike Missile Launcher Parts
Australian Precision Technologies (APT) has received a contract from Kongsberg Defence Australia to manufacture parts for its missile launchers.
Kongsberg tapped the Victoria-based company to produce precision components at its Berwick facility for the anti-ship and land-attack Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM).
The NSM is set to replace the Royal Australian Navy’s Harpoon anti-ship missiles, currently fitted on the force’s Anzac-class and Hobart-class ships.
Delivery of the components to South Australia is scheduled to commence in 2024.
APT’s Impact
APT Managing Director Richard Weinzierl shared the importance of the company’s contributions to the defense sector.
“APT has diversified into the Defence and Aerospace industry sectors over the past 15 years, and that has provided us with the opportunities to secure contracts such as this through the culture of the company employees and the strategic outlook required to support defence projects,” he said.
Australia’s Evolving Arms
Australia will be joining Norway, Poland, and the US Navy as the only naval forces in the world equipped with the NSM. The Royal Australian Navy will also be the only navy with destroyers fitted with the missiles.
The contract runs under Australia’s Project Sea 1300, an initiative to bolster the navy’s maritime capabilities with advanced long-range anti-ship missiles.
The Australian government has invested 24 billion Australian dollars ($19 billion) in the initiative to boost the navy’s maritime weapons capabilities over the next 20 years.
