Defence taps Lockheed Martin Australia for AIR6500 - APDR

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The Australian Government is investing $500 million in next-generation air missile defence as part of a contract with Lockheed Martin Australia to deliver the next phase of the Joint Air Battle Management System. The deal is expected to generate at least 230 jobs directly related to its operation, along with many more during construction.

The project, also known as AIR6500, will also create 300 indirect jobs in Australia's air and missile defence supply chain and provide opportunities for Australian industry to benefit from a global $83 billion export market, underscoring the Government's support for growing Australia's sovereign defence industry.

Head of Air Defence and Space Systems Division, Air Vice-Marshal David Scheul and Chief Executive Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand Warren McDonald sign a $500M strategic partnership contract to build Australia's future Joint Air Battle Management System under project - AIR6500 Phase 1.This next phase of the Joint Air Battle Management System will deliver the core command-and-control architecture for integrated air and missile defence, providing greater situational awareness of advanced air and missile threats, and increased interoperability with 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 Defence Strategic Review outlined an enhanced, all-domain integrated air and missile defence capability as critical to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Project AIR6500 will also deliver four advanced air-defence radars, manufactured by Canberra-based CEA Technologies, with the first delivery scheduled this year.

This contract signing builds on work already conducted by Lockheed Martin Australia, including preliminary systems required for the in-country development of the Joint Air Battle Management System.

To deliver this project, Lockheed Martin Australia will partner with other companies including Boeing Defence Australia, C4i, Leidos Australia, Lucid Consulting Australia, Raytheon Australia, Shoal Group, and Silentium Defence.

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy said: "This $500 million contract continues the work by the Albanese Government on next-generation air missile defence. 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. The Albanese Government is actively creating opportunities for Australian industry, through the entire supply chain of small-and-medium enterprises, as we deliver these critical defence capabilities. 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."

"We are honoured to be the Australian Defence Force's strategic partner and lead the delivery of AIR6500-1. At the core of this 21st Century Security, joint all-domain system is Australian industry," said Erika Marshall, vice president, C4ISR, Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems. "Together with the Department of Defence, we are harnessing the ingenuity found in Australian small-to-medium enterprises, industry primes and academia to build a transformational capability that will establish Australia's Defence Force as one of the most highly advanced in the world."

Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand's Chief Executive, Warren McDonald commended Defence and Lockheed Martin Australia's AIR6500 Team on achieving this historic strategic partnership. "AIR6500-1 will give Australia and our allies a greater level of connectivity and interoperability to counter current and future air and missile threats." He added, "In a contested and fast-moving environment, AIR6500-1 will give decision makers more time to consider and respond to a situation - time in these circumstances is a precious commodity."

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