Lockheed Martin Australia showcased its proposed AIR6500 solution, which can unlock an IAMD export market worth $83 billion for Australia’s defence industry.
At its Canberra headquarters, Lockheed Martin Australia demonstrated a modern Battle Management System that can fuse the inputs of Defence’s vast array of highly capable sensors into a single actionable picture – bringing clarity and cohesion to a complex undertaking.
“Our focus on Australian industry, and how they contribute to our proposed solution, has the potential to provide a pipeline into the global Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) enterprise,” said Warren McDonald, chief executive, Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand.
Lockheed Martin Australia is drawing on the best of Australian industry to deliver AIR6500.
It has awarded contracts to more than ten leading-edge companies, including QinetiQ Australia, Leidos Australia, Consunet, Consilium, C4I, Silentium, Penten, Lucid Consulting Engineering and Daronmont.
“Lockheed Martin carefully hand-selected our partners, using our extensive experience in delivering battle-proven IAMD systems to not only design a solution trusted to defend Australia and its national interests but to choose those with the skills to contribute to it”, said Kendell Kuczma, international business development director of Rotary and Missions Systems for Australia and New Zealand.
“By leveraging Australian companies with a strong understanding of Defence, we will create a system that connects Defence’s modern systems and display it to commanders who can make decisions with improved clarity and situational awareness.”
“We understand the gravity of the task these systems bare, and to those charged with operating them to protect our nation’s interests. If ever there was a capability that you co-invest in and commit early to delivering a flexible architecture that can accommodate technological advances – it is IAMD,” Kuczma added.
“Since 2015, Lockheed Martin Australia has committed to supporting Defence with its vision to transform into a fully integrated and IAMD capable force.”
To support this outcome Lockheed Martin Australia has:
- Committed AUD$74 million to establish the nation’s future IAMD Ecosystem. This ecosystem will facilitate collaboration between academia, industry, Defence, and Coalition and Allied partners to develop critical IAMD capabilities. It is expected to create more than 400 direct and 1,000 indirect local jobs.
- Invested over AUD$100 million into AIR6500.
- Doubled its sovereign workforce in just 12 months, with over 200 Australian staff now dedicated to AIR6500. The local team is also supported by 60 staff from the United States, who are facilitating both IAMD knowledge and technology transfer to Australia.
- Invested over AUD$10 million upgrading their Endeavour Centre to engage, explore, test, design and problem solve together with the Australian Defence Force and industry through innovation, war gaming, exercises and more.