Defense giant Lockheed Martin announced on Wednesday that its Canberra-based subsidiary, Lockheed Martin Australia, has been awarded a AUD$1.32 billion contract by the Australian Government to advance and sustain AIR6500 — a sovereign, high-tech joint air battle management system.
Lockheed Martin’s press release:
The Australian Government has awarded Lockheed Martin Australia a AUD$1.32B contract to advance and sustain AIR6500 — a sovereign, high-tech joint air battle management system that integrates Australia’s air and missle defence capabilities across all-domains into a single, unified view of the battlespace to detect and counter threats at various ranges.
Under Tranche 2B, Lockheed Martin Australia, together with the Department of Defence and Australian industry, will enhance AIR6500’s core architecture with advanced C2 aids, expanded comms, and cyber‑security to maintain resilient, networked sensor and C2 capabilites that can sense and track incoming threats and integrate with the Australian Defence Force’s targeting enterprise, allies and partners. This framework establishes a scalable path for ongoing systems innovation and rapid integration of future technologies, keeping Australia ahead of emerging threats.
Lockheed Martin Australia will continue to sustain, train, and grow its 360 locally skilled engineering workforce, the largest integrated air and missile defence industrial base in Australia, while expanding the team to 400+ within 18 months. Over the next six years, a substantial share of the AIR6500 Tranche 2B effort will be delivered by Australian Industry partners.
Independent of the program, Lockheed Martin Australia is investing $85.9M in a national integrated air and missile defence facility to ensure end‑to‑end system resilience.
Lockheed Martin’s president of Rotary and Mission Systems, Stephanie C. Hill, said, “As the strategic partner for AIR6500, Lockheed Martin is proud to continue working with the Department of Defence to rapidly evolve an advanced integrated air and missile defence system that safeguards the Indo‑Pacific region.”
“Together, we are maturing a significant capability that strengthens Australia’s national security and increases allied interoperability to combat future threats.”
Over the past two years, Lockheed Martin Australia has delivered a series of milestones in Tranche 2A AIR6500, laying the groundwork for the next phase of AIR6500:
- produced a modular joint air battle management system prototype, two joint tactical operations centres and a single persistent operations node, for testing and evaluation
- provided training to the Royal Australian Air Force on delivered elements
- completed fit‑out of the AIR6500 integration lab in Adelaide
- developed a 360-strong engineering and technical workforce while partnering with Australian Industry to maximise sovereign content in the system.
Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand’s Chief Executive, Jeremy King, said, “This contract confirms the Australian Government’s confidence in Australian Defence Industry’s capacity to deliver world‑class, Australian‑built capabilities that are trusted to protect our nation and its allies.”
“Lockheed Martin Australia remains firmly committed to continue partnering with primes, small-to-medium enterprises, and academia to source the best‑of‑breed technologies, delivering a sovereign solution that strengthens Australia’s industrial self-reliance and prosperity.”
“The next phase of AIR6500 fortifies the core of Australia’s integrated air and missile defence.”
King added, “AIR6500 enhances the joint force by bringing all ADF defence assets together on a scalable, resilient, and collaborative platform. It gives us clearer cross‑domain awareness and a more effective way to respond to air and missile threats.”