BAE Systems has opened its new engineering hub in Melbourne, Australia, that will integrate the company’s aerospace, autonomous systems and guided weapons research into a single facility. The new engineering centre on River Boulevard, at Richmond, will accommodate more than 300 employees. The company will initially lease approximately 3000 square meters and three floors of the new complex with capacity to expand its presence if required.

The center will give teams from BAE Systems’ Aerospace and Autonomous Systems Development (AASD), and Weapon Systems (WS), access to modern laboratories to support a range of advanced design and test activities.

Jim McDowell, Managing Director of BAE Systems Australia, said, “Our AASD group in Melbourne leads our global company’s engineering development and design capability across BAE Systems Australia’s Aerospace business unit, including design and development of autonomous enabling technologies, P-3, F/A -18 and Hawk Mission Systems support and Aircraft Integration activities for Blackhawk, Chinook and Seahawk.”

He continued, “Our Weapon Systems group is also involved in the cutting-edge design, integration and support of ship air defense systems and guided weapons, including the highly successful Nulka active missile decoys and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM).”