Lockheed Martin Australia has announced it has signed agreements with five Australian companies to explore sovereign technologies that might be used in its solution for the ADF’s Project AIR 6500 joint battle management and integrated air and missile defence system requirement.
In a November 25 release, Lockheed Martin says it has signed agreements with Consilium Technology, Consunet, Shoal, Silentium Defence, and Ultra to develop capabilities that can be integrated into an open architecture framework to support concepts for the requirement. It says a key focus will be to explore technologies ranging from electronic warfare battle management, contested communications, cyber protection, advanced systems engineering and passive sensing.
“Over the past four years, the LMA AIR6500 team has been steadily adding to our sovereign presence and expanding our Australian team,” Lockheed Martin Australia’s AIR 6500 Program Executive, Steve Froelich said in the release. “Critical to that effort has been our focus on proactively engaging and establishing partnerships with Australian industry to identify and invest in ‘best of breed’ local capabilities to deliver a truly sovereign capability solution for Australia.”
The company has conducted an in-person and virtual roadshow, and has opened an ICN Gateway to attract and qualify potential partner companies for the project, and says it has validated more than 130 companies as potential partners.
The “…announcement demonstrates our steadfast commitment to work with industry, academia and government to create opportunities for technology transfer, grow the top-level skills base and capabilities to add additional high-tech jobs that help build a stronger, more secure Australia,” Froelich said.
Chief Executive Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, Joe North added, “We are committed to working with like-minded Australian industry partners to elevate the technology base in Australia and to help advance the innovative Australian high technology businesses so they can actively contribute to a major defence program and shape Australia’s future defence capabilities.”
“We have a proven track record of partnering closely with Australian industry as stewards, to develop, integrate, build, supply and maintain future technologies and capabilities within Australia and New Zealand,” he said.
The company’s ICN Gateway can be found at https://gateway.icn.org.au/project/4022/air6500-joint-battle-management-and-integrated-air-and-missile-defence-system