Australia selects Lockheed Martin to build AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System

Asia-Pacific, News, US August 31, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Australia selected U.S. leading defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin as the strategic partner to build AIR6500 Phase 1 for $487 million ($765 million AUD). The AIR6500 program would combine all critical military assets including aircraft, warships, submarines, and troops.

According to the Lockheed Martin statement, “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) capability.”

The system will transform the Australian Defence Force and Air Force into a fifth-generation-enabled force and counter threats from air, space, sea, land, and the cyber spectrum to the country’s national security.

The Lockheed Martin statement highlighted that AIR6500 is the first-of-its-kind system that will provide greater situational awareness and defense against increasingly advanced air and missile threats. It will also give the Australian Defence Force increased levels of interoperability with the United States and allied partners.

Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, Warren McDonald said that the defense firm is fully committed to working with ADF as a trusted and long-term sovereign partner for AIR6500-1.

McDonald highlighted, “To deliver on this key strategic national endeavor, we are leveraging our vast experience delivering battle-proven Integrated Air and Missile Defence systems and harnessing the full might of Australian industry to build a sovereign 21st Century Security capability trusted to defend Australia and its national interests now and in the future.”

Lockheed Martin Air 6500 — *^{Australian Defense Force AIR6500. (Image Credit: Lockheed Martin)}*

Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems Stephanie C. Hill said that “We are honoured to be selected as the trusted strategic partner to lead and deliver this important sovereign capability, in partnership with Australian industry, to the Australian Defence Force.”

“Australia’s AIR6500-1 program is truly transformational. It will set the blueprint for future military Joint All-Domain Operations across the globe. This critical capability will allow the ADF to leverage information from across all domains at greater speeds, with better accuracy and at a greater scale than it is capable of today,” she added.

The American defense firm’s Australian branch has advanced a sovereign AIR6500-1 system solution for Australia to protect the country’s national security interests. The company’s chief executive said that “McDonald added, “We recognize a team approach is vital to the success of AIR6500-1 in building a sovereign Australian IAMD capability, therefore moving forward on program execution the majority of the program workshare will be allocated across Australian industry.”