Lockheed Martin wins $multi-billion$ Project AIR6500

Lockheed Martin Australia has been selected as the ‘strategic partner’ to deliver the Joint Air Battle Management System for the ADF.

FILE IMAGE: Lockheed Martin graphic supplied.

The first tranche of Project AIR6500 Phase 1 (AIR6500-1) will cost around $765 million to deliver with follow-on phases to cost multiple billions of dollars.

ADF said the Joint Air Battle Management System would support an enhanced, integrated and coordinated air and missile defence capability across the Australian Defence Force and national infrastructure.

“It will provide greater situational awareness of advanced air and missile threats and increased interoperability with international partners.”

The project is likely to generate up to 230 jobs, including for subcontractors, in high-tech areas including software development, systems engineering, project management and logistics.

Around 150 jobs will be in South Australia, 60 in the NSW Hunter region, with others in Brisbane and Canberra.

The government also announced today that it was accelerating the ADF’s medium-range ground-based air-defence capability, which would form part of a layered, integrated missile defence capability.

Minister for Defence [who prefers his other title, Deputy Prime Minister, even when making Defence announcements] Richard Marles said the government was working at pace to ensure the ADF was equipped with modernised capabilities that would allow it to transition into a genuine integrated force, optimised for national defence.

“The new Joint Air Battle Management System, and the Medium-Range Ground-Based Air Defence System will contribute effective capabilities as part of an integrated ADF,” Defence Minister Marles said.

“These capabilities are essential in our pursuit of preserving and protecting our sovereignty and security, while also promoting stability in our region.”

 

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