Thales opens Lithgow advanced manufacturing centre

Defence manufacturer Thales Australia has continued its revitalisation of the historic former Lithgow small arms works with the opening of the company’s new advanced manufacturing facility in the regional NSW city.

Defence Minister Pat Conroy officiated and opened the new Lithgow Arms facility (pictured) which has been a centre of Australia’s defence industry since it opened in 1912.

The opening of the new facility is a milestone in the first phase in an ambitious plan to transform its Lithgow Arms site into an advanced manufacturing 4.0 and integration hub for the precision manufacture of Australian designed weapon systems.

According to the company the plant will integrate both traditional precision manufacturing and digital technologies, including 3D printing, and the installation of automated electro-plating and other metal treatment capabilities.

Vice President of Land, Thales Australia and New Zealand Julie Bown said “Thales Australia is a proud and committed steward of sovereign industrial capability in this country, and has taken this role seriously since our acquisition of ADI more than two decades ago.

“Lithgow Arms is the home of the only small arms manufacturing capability in Australia and we are proud to be a major employer in regional NSW. Our workforce is highly skilled and multi-generational.”

The new facility will house a new live firing test and evaluation capability to support systems qualification and integration, and research and technology development of digitised small-arms and weapon systems.

“The purpose-built facility will also support collaboration across research institutions, SME partners, and key industrial partners to create the soldier systems and small arms of the future, as well as train the next generation of skilled advanced manufacturing workers in the central west of New
South Wales.”

Lithgow Arms already exports its small arms to 17 countries and has been a key industrial partner to the Australian Defence Force, providing small arms and weapons systemsand end to end logistics and sustainment for more than a century.

Bown said: “Thales Australia is a proud and committed steward of sovereign industrial capability in this country, and has taken this role seriously since our acquisition of ADI (Australian Defence Industries) more than two decades ago.

Further reading:
Lithgow Arms steps up sporting rifle exports
Thales boosts collaboration at Lithgow Arms business

Picture: Thales Australia/left to right, Julie Bown, Pat Conroy and Jeff Connolly