A global defence technology and engineering company entrusted with testing and evaluating high-tech weapons systems from small arms to ballistic missiles is set to join forces with the Australian Missile Corporation.

QinetiQ has confirmed its collaboration with the AMC which was created on the back of the Australian Government’s plan to accelerate a domestic guided missile manufacturing enterprise.

The AMC was founded by NIOA – the largest Australian-owned supplier of weapons and munitions to the ADF.

QinetiQ, which has more than 600 employees based in Australia, is a long-standing partner of the ADF delivering bespoke design and prototype engineering, structural integrity, range and facility management and sovereign test and evaluation capabilities.

The company is the latest to join more than 300 Australian and international businesses to team up with the AMC. The expertise of these companies with world-leading insights will be critical to support the Australian Government’s plan for a sovereign guided weapons enterprise equipped and ready to support the ADF.

Robert Nioa, CEO of NIOA and the Australian Missile Corporation, welcomed the support of QinetiQ: “By drawing on QinetiQ’s global experience across aerospace, land and maritime domains, the AMC will be well positioned to advance the Commonwealth Government’s ambition in realising this important enterprise for the nation.’’

Greg Barsby, Managing Director of QinetiQ Australia, said: “QinetiQ is delighted to support the AMC in establishing this vital defence capability. We operate world class, independent T&E capabilities around the world and are actively investing to develop similar capabilities here in Australia.”

NIOA was founded in regional Queensland in 1973 and is the largest Australian-owned weapons and munitions Prime Contractor. Committed to the development of Australian sovereign capability, NIOA is investing $130m in domestic munitions and explosives manufacturing over the next five years, including a $60m artillery shell forging plant in Maryborough Queensland with joint-venture partner Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions, a $13m upgrade of the Commonwealth’s Government-owned Benalla munitions plant in Victoria and an $11m expansion of its Brisbane headquarters, warehouse and distribution facility.

QinetiQ Australia is dedicated to building sovereign industrial capability for test, evaluation, certification and systems assurance. Its recognised expertise provides the ADF with complex, world-leading and independent capabilities. The company has partnered with Defence Science and Technology (DST) to provide high-end engineering design and prototyping capability, and operate the Queensland Flight Test Range (QFTR) on behalf of the Queensland Government.