Missiles for use in the Australian military could be made in WA with the government seeking to establish a local weapons manufacturing hub — making it the third state in the nation planning to build combat weapons domestically.Premier Roger Cook announced the plan at the Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference in Perth, as the state pushes to expand its role in Australia's rapidly growing defence industry.Perth is already set to be a key operational hub for Australia's nuclear-powered submarine fleet as part of the AUKUS pact.Defence industry minister Paul Papalia said the government was seeking expressions of interest from international defence companies in neighbouring and allied countries. "Right around the world right now, nations are uplifting [their] defence spend," he told 102.5 ABC Perth."In most places, their industrial base can't support their ambitions, but in WA we have a massive resources sector [where] we can apply that industrial base to defence outcomes."The government said it would like to establish the defence manufacturing hub in the mining town of Collie, about 200 kilometres south of Perth.