BAE System Australia has secured a multi-million dollar contract to triple the production of its advanced passive radio frequency sensors for joint strike missiles supplied to Australia and key allies at the company’s Edinburgh Parks facility in South Australia.

Under the $160 million deal, BAE Systems will supply over 1000 sensors into Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace’s global Joint Strike Missile (JSM) program over the next six years, boosting local manufacturing in Adelaide’s north.

BAE System’s Passive Radio Frequency Sensor (PRS), which was designed and developed in South Australia, is a world-leading capability and critical enhancing component of the Joint Strike Missile.

The contract comes after BAE Systems was recently awarded a $270 million deal to increase the production of critical guided weapons components for the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2.

As reported in The Advertiser, BAE Systems Australia managing director of defence delivery Andrew Gresham said the passive radio frequency deal is another major win for the local manufacturing team.

“This is a significant achievement for our manufacturing teams at Edinburgh Parks and an innovation success story that has required more than a decade of commitment from our employees and our partner Kongsberg,” Mr Gresham told The Advertiser.

“[The announcement] illustrates our company’s focus on investing in research and development and turning the outcomes into real cutting-edge technology for use on the battlefield.”

The joint strike missile is an air-launched strike missile developed by Kongsberg, which has a contract with the Australian Government to integrate the capability into the F-35A aircraft, enhancing Australia’s ability to strike targets from long-range.

The Norwegian company, which will also deliver its Joint Strike Missiles to the United States, Japan and a growing number of partner nations, recently unveiled it $25 million facility at Mawson Lakes’ Technology Park to support national Defence acquisition and sustainment programs in missiles, air defence and remote weapon stations.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy, who announced the BAE Systems’ contract in a National Press Club address, reiterated the Australian Government’s commitment to supporting local companies to manufacture critical components and increasing their involvement in global supply chains, as part it’s Australian Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Plan.

“We are turbo-charging efforts to help Australia’s defence industry to enter international guided weapons and explosive ordnance supply chains,” Minister Conroy said in his address.

Read Minister Conroy’s full address.