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Lockheed Martin Australia announced that its proposed AIR 6500 solution will create an export market valued at $83 billion for Australian defence businesses.
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According to the global prime at an event in its Canberra headquarters, the program will enable local companies to sell into the global air and missile defence system enterprise.
“Our focus on Australian industry, and how they contribute to our proposed solution, has the potential to provide a pipeline into the global IAMD enterprise,” Warren McDonald, chief executive, Lockheed Martin Australia New Zealand, explained.
To support the development of Australia’s integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) pipeline, Lockheed Martin Australia representatives explained that the company had committed $74 million to create an IAMD ecosystem to function as a nexus between academia, industry and Defence.
Meanwhile, it has invested over $100 million into developing their AIR 6500 solution.
As part of their solution, the global prime is leveraging the expertise of companies such as QinetiQ Australia, Leidos Australia, Consunet, Consilium, C4I, Silentium, Penten, Lucid Consulting Engineering, and Daronmont.
Kendell Kuczma, international business development director of rotary and missions systems for Australia and New Zealand, Lockheed Martin Australia, explained that the company understands the “gravity” of the program as fundamental to the safety of Australian.
“Lockheed Martin carefully hand selected our partners, using our extensive experience in delivering battle-proven IAMD systems to not only design a solution trusted to defend Australia and its national interests but to choose those with the skills to contribute to it,” Kuczma said.
“By leveraging Australian companies with a strong understanding of Defence, we will create a system that connects Defence’s modern systems and display it to commanders who can make decisions with improved clarity and situational awareness.”
Representatives from Lockheed Martin Australia explained that the company has been developing their solution for seven years.
“We understand the gravity of the task these systems bare, and to those charged with operating them to protect our nation’s interests. If ever there was a capability that you co-invest in and commit early to delivering a flexible architecture that can accommodate technological advances — it is IAMD.”
“Since 2015, Lockheed Martin Australia has committed to supporting Defence with its vision to transform into a fully integrated and IAMD capable force,” said Kuczma.
