Lockheed Martin Australia delivers first drop of JABMS capability

Canberra-based Lockheed Martin Australia delivered the first ‘drop’ of operational capability for Project AIR6500 Ph2A – Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) in late-December, as planned, to Defence’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) in Canberra. The Material Release 1 milestones is a subset of the AIR6500 Tranche 2A Minimum Viable Capability scheduled for delivery in 2026.

The JABMS capability includes both active and passive radars, C2 systems and communications links and is designed to be fully compatible with the RAAF’s existing Air Battle Management (ABM) system.

This first drop was delivered just nine months after contract signature and the company plans to deliver the full, truck-mounted Joint Tactical Operations Centre (JTOC) capability when Phase 2A is completed in Mid-2026.

Lockheed Martin Australia’s Australian supply chain has had to work quickly to keep up with the agile sequence of technology ‘drops’.  Melbourne-based C4i joined Lockheed Martin Australia’s AIR6500 team in mid-2022. C4i’s secure communications systems technologies focus on a homegrown secure voice communication system that connects into JABMS C2 networks, while increasing system security, rapid response and interoperability in support of the RAAF’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) mission.

To sustain this critical system,C4i has developed an intuitive Human Machine Interface (HMI), VOICE C2, that will connect operators while integrating a range of disparate communications channels and systems – data, radio, telephony, facility control and recording – anywhere, at any time. The HMI will connect across classified and non-classified networks to help the RAAF’s air battle managers make faster data-driven decisions and remain ahead of future threats.A team of 15 engineers are dedicated to designing, building and testing the voice communication systems within C4i’s technology lab headquarters in Melbourne. EX² was briefed on the system during a visit in March.

The Red (Classified) and Black (Unclassified) communications channels are manually selected by the JTOC operator. Switching to the Black Channel means everybody can hear everything the operator says; he or she can also talk on the classified Red Channel to other assets or higher HQs while continuing to listen in on the unclassified Black Channel. The system includes cyber security which the company, understandably, declines to comment on.

The VOICE C2 product also maintains a log for all communications channels, stating when a call was made and to whom, and has a play-back function for the Black Channel. It also enables rapid changes to equipment on the network in things like frequency, transmitter strength and even volume as circumstances means.

In addition to bolstering Australia’s defence capabilities, this collaboration will open up new export opportunities for C4i to participate in global defence projects. Lockheed Martin Australia is drawing on the best of Australian industry to deliver AIR6500, which has the potential to provide a pipeline into the global integrated air and missile defence market estimated to be worth  $83 Billion, says Lockheed Martin Australia.

EX2 was shown the company’s Systems Integration Laboratory (SIL) where it conducts basic testing, systems integration and longevity testing of its products for most customers, including the UK Ministry of Defence for whose Guardian air defence command and control system C4i provides the voice switching system under separate contracts direct with the UK MoD and with the prime contractor, IBM UK and Ireland.

“C4i brings a wealth of experience to AIR6500. Their robust, secure technologies are highly established and operated by defence, governments and industry in over 40 countries,” said Rob Milligan, Lockheed Martin Australia’s Program Director AIR6500. “This partner integration will enhance the ADF’s ability to respond effectively in high-pressure situations.”

The company has also produced a voice switching system which has been certified by the US Defense Industry Systems Agency via the Joint Interoperability Test Command. This system can now be re-used anywhere within the Pentagon’s remit.

The scalable and rapidly deployable communication systems from C4i will strengthen key military alliances, ensuring seamless collaboration during joint operations, says Lockheed Martin Australia. This highly mobile solution empowers defence personnel to establish Joint Operational Centres quickly, providing a robust communication infrastructure for coordinated responses in complex scenarios, the company says.