Silentium Defence, a spinoff from Defence Australia, has delivered the first batch of passive radar systems for AIR6500, Australia’s Joint Air Battle Management System.
Lockheed Martin Australia, which will build AIR6500, confirmed receiving the Maverick Fortress 3D sensors. Warren McDonald, the company’s chief executive in Australia and New Zealand, said the Adelaide-based deep-technology startup made the initial delivery ahead of schedule.
“This is an important milestone that shows Australian industry can and has stepped up to deliver accelerated sovereign capability to meet Defence’s mission,” McDonald said.
“In partnership with Defence, Lockheed Martin Australia is drawing on the nation’s best homegrown technologies to build an advanced, resilient and affordable air battle management system that bolsters Australia’s national security,” he added.
Lockheed said the radar systems provide an advanced 3D capability that supports wide-field-of-view surveillance and the tracking of targets with increased accuracy. Designed and developed in Australia, the compact passive sensing radar can be operated as stand-alone equipment or integrated into existing systems. Featuring a low electromagnetic signature for greater invisibility, Maverick can detect and track targets on land, sea and air, the company added.
Silentium’s sensors are key components of AIR6500, which Lockheed will build under a $487 million contract to bolster Australian missile defense capabilities.