South Australia is set to house a new $75 million (US$55 million) state-of-the-art weapons manufacturing facility as the Australian government continues to bolster its sovereign defence capabilities. It comes shortly after Australia earmarked $10 billion (US$7.3 billion) towards a new nuclear submarine base amid an “arc of autocracy” and the rise of authoritarian regimes around the world. The Sovereign Combat System Collaboration Centre will be headed by Saab, a Swedish weapons and defence company, with a focus on integrating world-leading technology into Australia’s combat systems. The federal government has diverted $22.6 million (US$16.4 million) of its own $1.3 billion (US$950 million) Modern Manufacturing Initiative for the project, a fund designated to boost domestic production across industries. Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said the investment represented Australia’s economic growth and commitment to strengthening its defence capabilities. “We are determined to build our sovereign capability to ensure that we can deliver at …