Lockheed Martin receives a contract worth nearly $1 billion
Lockheed Martin Australia has been awarded a contract worth 1.32 billion Australian dollars, equivalent to approximately $950 million, to sustain and expand Australia’s joint air battle management system.
The agreement is part of a broader effort to strengthen Australia’s air and missile defense capabilities and improve the way airborne threats are detected, tracked and countered.
The contract is being delivered under the second phase of Project AIR6500, known as Tranche 2B.
AIR6500 will connect sensors, command centers and defense forces
The new phase will upgrade the AIR6500 core architecture by introducing advanced command-and-control tools, expanding communications and strengthening cyber-security.
The goal is to maintain a resilient network of sensors and command-and-control systems capable of detecting and tracking incoming threats. The system will also support integration with the Australian Defence Force’s targeting enterprise, as well as the networks of allied and partner nations.
According to the company, the upgrades will establish a flexible framework for integrating new technologies and expanding the system in the future without replacing its entire existing architecture.
AIR6500 is designed to combine Australia’s air and missile defense capabilities across all domains into a single operational picture. This will allow commanders to identify and counter threats operating at different ranges.
Canberra allocates AUD 2.4 billion for modernization
The contract awarded to Lockheed Martin is part of a broader six-year investment worth AUD 2.4 billion.
The program is intended to modernize air surveillance and aircraft control functions while improving the coordination of defense operations in Australia and overseas.
The system will connect current and future Australian defense platforms, including Hobart-class destroyers, F-35A Lightning II aircraft and the accelerated Medium-Range Ground-Based Air Defence system.
AIR6500 viewed as critical for future threats
Jeremy King, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, said the new phase would reinforce the core of Australia’s integrated air and missile defense system.
According to King, AIR6500 will bring together Australian Defence Force defense assets on a scalable, resilient and collaborative platform. The system is expected to provide a clearer picture of threats across multiple domains and enable a more effective response to air and missile attacks.
Defense Minister Richard Marles described the project as a major investment in Australia’s air defense capability. He said the system would help prepare the Australian Defence Force for future threats and support the objectives outlined in the National Defence Strategy and the Defence Industry Development Strategy.
NASAMS reaches full operational capability
Alongside the AIR6500 contract announcement, Australia’s Department of Defence confirmed that the Australian Army’s short-range NASAMS air defense capability had reached Final Operational Capability.
Australia acquired two NASAMS batteries in 2017, with each battery equipped with three launchers, to protect forces and critical assets against short-range airborne threats.
Reaching this milestone confirms that the system has met all requirements for operational service and is ready to support Australian Defence Force missions.
