Australia selects Lockheed Martin for JABMS requirement

Project Air 6500 will connect platforms and sensors across all warfighting domains into a single interface. LMA is selected to build the system of systems architecture for the Australian DoD's Project Air 6500 Joint Air Battle Management System requirement. (Lockheed Martin Australia)

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has selected Lockheed Martin Australia (LMA) as its strategic partner to deliver the Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) as part of the second tranche of Project Air 6500 Phase 1.

The JABMS is the initial part of the Australian Defence Force's (ADF's) future Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) system. The system will be delivered through Project Air 6500 Phase 1 in two tranches.

As part of Tranche 1 of the project, Canberra-based CEA Technologies was granted a contract in July 2022 to design and deliver four active electronically scanned array (AESA) sensors.

According to a DoD press release on 29 August, LMA is selected to develop and deliver Tranche 2 of the JABMS in collaboration with other Australian defence industry partners. Tranche 2 will deliver the remaining scope of the JABMS and may include additional sensors.

Before the selection, LMA was competing with Northrop Grumman Australia for JABMS Tranche 2.

Stephanie C Hill, executive vice-president of Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, said in a press release on 29 August, “This critical capability will allow the ADF to leverage information from across all domains at greater speeds, with better accuracy and at a greater scale than it is capable of today.”

According to the DoD, the Australian government has committed AUD765 million (USD491 million) to deliver the second tranche of the JABMS to the ADF. This is part of the Australian government's AUD2.7 billion investment to develop and procure new JABMSs.