US to open a plant in Australia to produce long-range guided missiles for HIMARS for Ukraine's needs — Wall Street Journal.

Lockheed Martin reportedly plans to hire six Australian engineers to prepare and launch production. The decision was made because the US defense industry cannot meet both its own demand and quickly replenish missiles for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"Rapid consumption of ammunition in Ukraine and the Middle East has undermined the ability of the US industrial base to meet demand and replenish depleted stockpiles. The Biden administration is trying to establish several production lines in allied countries for critical weapons, though it is not easy," the WSJ writes.

Australian officials note that the first batch of 12 GMLRS missiles is scheduled to be tested in late 2025, and by 2030 the country expects to produce thousands of munitions annually. The plan may be hampered by a lack of personnel, transportation difficulties, and a shortage of components needed for production.

The missiles are to be manufactured at a military base on the outskirts of Sydney. The publication emphasizes that this is the first plant for the production of such weapons opened outside the United States.

Lockheed Martin's GMLRS missiles are equipped with a satellite guidance system and can hit targets up to 80 km away.