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The contractor has passed acceptance tests for the first two Fire Distribution Centres supporting Army’s next-generation surface-to-air missile systems.
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Kongsberg Defence Australia has advanced its contribution to the Commonwealth government’s LAND 19 Phase 7B program, spearheaded by Raytheon Technologies, which aims to deliver an Army-operated component of the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defence (JIAMD) capability.
The company has revealed it has passed factory acceptance tests of the first two Fire Distribution Centres (FDC1 and FDC2) for the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) — expected to enable the Australian Army to rapidly detect, engage, and destroy aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missile threats.
The FDC is set to serve as the air defence command, control, communications and computing (C4) system, designed to manage engagement operations through centralised control of NASAMS sensors, launchers, missiles, and communication systems.
The FDC is billed as the most advanced and integrated C4 system delivered to Army, enabling integrated joint GBAD and fires activities.
The distribution centre has been assembled at Raytheon Australia’s Centre for Joint Integration in Adelaide, with Kongsberg Defence Australia’s NASAMS Production Team integrating and testing the capability.
Each FDC comprises of more than 10,000 components, most of which have been sourced locally, with suppliers including Sydney-based Eylex, Adelaide-based Daronmont Technologies and REDARC Electronics, and Albury-based MILSPEC Manufacturing.
Kongsberg Defence Australia’s general manager, John Fry, lauded the rapid achievement of the new milestone despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Factory Acceptance Testing involved the conduct of over 2,200 physical, configuration and system test activities performed over four weeks, and I am immensely proud of what Kongsberg Defence Australia has achieved during these difficult times,” Fry said.
“…It demonstrates our ability to undertake the production and integration of complex C4 and fire control systems, and shows that we are able to support all of KONGSBERG’s programs and capabilities in Australia and the region.
“This milestone also represents a significant contribution to the Strategic Industry Capability Priority of Integrated Air and Missile Defence that was recently announced by the Minister for Defence Industry.”
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace’s integrated defence systems executive vice president Kjetil Reiten Myhra said the milestone was made possible by collaboration between the Kongsberg teams in Australia and Norway.
“Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has been committed to the establishment of an Australian business to create sovereign capability for the production and sustainment of NASAMS,” he said.
“We have been very impressed by what Kongsberg Defence Australia has achieved with its growing team and new Australian supply chain during a pandemic-interrupted period.”
With the support of local suppliers, Kongsberg Defence Australia is now manufacturing the remaining FDC’s for the LAND 19 Phase 7B program.
[Related: Kongsberg team demonstrates remote tower capabilities at RAAF Amberley]
