Australian Rheinmetall facility to make US F-35 FAP munitions
Australian JV Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions (RNM) will supply the US F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme with medium-calibre ammunition.
Production of the 25mm Frangible Armoured Piercing (FAP) munitions will begin at the state-owned Benalla plant in Victoria state, as the first RNM expansion since its A$60 million artillery shell forging plant was set up in Queensland.
RNM Chairman Werner Kraemer said: ‘We are totally committed to this joint venture with the Australian market. By committing to develop this medium-calibre production capability here in Australia, we will not only create local jobs and build a supply chain, we will also be developing a proven and sustainable export market.’
The production line is due to be operational in Q1 and Q2 2021 with full production being reached in September 2021.
RNM is a JV between Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions and NIOA.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![Poland air focus: $8.27 billion UAV market highlights value of long-term supplier relationships]()
Poland air focus: $8.27 billion UAV market highlights value of long-term supplier relationships
Poland’s growing investment in UAVs highlights how recurring procurement contracts and continuous technological development can provide suppliers with sustained opportunities beyond initial acquisitions.
-
![Saab’s flight-tested AI agents signal new era of crewed-uncrewed fighter systems]()
Saab’s flight-tested AI agents signal new era of crewed-uncrewed fighter systems
Saab is developing artificial intelligence (AI) agents for crewed and uncrewed aircraft, targeting potential operational deployment within months, while expanding its training capabilities, partnerships and ambitions for wider military applications.
-
![October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age]()
October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age
Israel’s $1 billion Apache helicopter order highlights the continued demand for crewed attack aviation, while growing integration with uncrewed systems could shape future modernisation and procurement decisions.
-
![US Navy keeps Super Hornet production restart option open, but without defined cost or timetable]()
US Navy keeps Super Hornet production restart option open, but without defined cost or timetable
The US Navy plans to preserve Super Hornet and Growler tooling as production winds down, with restart costs unassessed and final F/A-18 deliveries expected in late 2027.
-
![Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence]()
Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence
The rise of drones has reshaped the threat landscape for all European militaries. For industry, future defensive strategies must carefully balance a mix of passive and active measures to address the evolving danger, based around a highly integrated and responsive network of sensors and effectors.
-
![October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges]()
October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges
Recent procurement developments in France and Lithuania highlight the growing demand for loitering munitions, with global annual spending forecast to increase nearly 50-fold between 2020 and 2029.
