An illustration of a control room operating the AIR6500 missile system. Australia is planning to invest around $930 million in the project through Lockheed Martin. (Courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

Australia Is Buying a New $1.7 Billion Missile System—Here’s What’s in It

Share this link on Facebook

Share this page on X (Twitter)

Share this link on LinkedIn

Share this page on Reddit

Email a link to this page

The new AIR6500 system is intended to disperse missile targeting and launch systems, potentially allowing more thorough coverage of Australia’s airspace.

As concerns over competition in the Indo-Pacific rise, Australia is pouring money into fighters, destroyers, missiles, radars, and ground-based air defenses. But possessing sophisticated weapons alone isn’t enough; those weapons need to be integrated in order to make the wider system work effectively.

Understanding this, the Australian government has awarded Lockheed Martin Australia a roughly AUD $1.32 billion (USD $927 million) contract to expand Australia’s AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System. The award is part of a broader AUD $2.4 billion (USD........

© The National Interest