Defence has signed a contract worth $37.5 million with Lockheed Martin Australia to provide the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with deployable mission system facilities, primarily for the F-35A Lightning II.
Lockheed Martin is working with Varley Group to deliver the facilities, which will house a transportable Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) or enable connection to ALIS elsewhere in the world. ALIS serves as the information infrastructure for the F-35.
The cabins will also host the off-board mission planning system that would be used by the F-35A, F/A-18F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and P-8A Poseidon.
“Acquiring these new portable, Australian-made cabins is an important part of our Joint Strike Fighter program, and will mean that our top secret systems and personnel who support our jets on the ground will be securely housed and protected,” said Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne.
This contract is distinct from Australian work on the global program, and has been awarded to meet a sovereign requirement.