The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 24 April that it has awarded a A$500 million contract to Lockheed Martin Australia to deliver Australia’s future Joint Air Battle Management System under Project AIR6500 Phase 1 (AIR6500-1).
AIR6500-1 will provide the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with a Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) that will form the ground-breaking architecture at the core of the ADF’s future Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) network.
The latest contract builds on work already conducted by Lockheed Martin Australia, including preliminary systems required for the in-country development of the JABMS.
According to Lockheed Martin Australia, this first-of-its-kind system will provide greater situational awareness and defence against increasingly advanced air and missile threats, as well as give the ADF increased levels of interoperability with the United States and other international partners.
“It will deliver improved network architecture, next-generation deployable air-battle management systems and initial integration with priority platforms, such as major combatant ships and F-35A Lightning II aircraft,” the DOD added.
The DOD also noted that AIR6500-1 will also include four advanced air-defence radars produced by Canberra-based CEA Technologies, with the first delivery expected within 2024.
Lockheed Martin Australia stated that it will partner with other companies including Boeing Defence Australia, C4i, Leidos Australia, Lucid Consulting Australia, Raytheon Australia, Shoal Group, and Silentium Defence.
“This contract continues the work by the Albanese Government on next-generation air missile defence,” said Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy.
“It is a further demonstration of our unwavering commitment to strengthen national security and provide the Australian Defence Force with the capabilities it needs to make Australians safer,” added Conroy. “This is an investment in our national security but also an investment in a future made in Australia which will support local businesses and create hundreds of jobs and support many more.”
by Jr Ng
