Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks at the opening of Raytheon Australia’s new Naval and Integration Headquarters in Adelaide. (Photo: Marco Catalano/Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

OREANDA-NEWS. A $297 million contract awarded to Raytheon Australia at the opening of its new Naval and Integration Headquarters in Adelaide has cemented the Australian government’s commitment to invest locally in the country's defence industry.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull emphasized that message during his visit to the center, which establishes Adelaide as the home of Australia's combat system integration workforce.

“We are making investments in the most advanced systems in the world,” Turnbull said. “Our focus is to ensure that every dollar we spend on defence we are spending in Australia – on Australian technology developed with international partners.”

Local investment guarantees a strengthening of the local defence industry, Raytheon Australia Managing Director Michael Ward said.

“As the largest and arguably the most capable systems integrator in Australia we welcome this investment in the local industry and highly skilled local jobs,” Ward said. “This is an investment in homegrown sovereign capability as well as in the safety and security of our nation.”

Raytheon Australia plans to double its Adelaide workforce over the next three years, Ward said.

“That means nearly 400 new jobs for Australians in the most innovative and highly skilled roles the Australian Defence Industry has to offer.”

The contract is set to deliver the world’s most modern and advanced military test range at Woomera. “The development of this system will mean new job opportunities for Adelaide in the areas of complex program management, systems integration and technical knowledge transfer,” Ward said.