JABMS to deliver air, missile vision

Lockheed Martin Australia aims to deliver the core of the ADF’s Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS), in a rapid-fire, nine-month drumbeat of capability ‘drops’ in Project AIR6500.

Silentium Defence Maverick M8 passive radar.

Lockheed Martin Australia aims to deliver the core of the ADF’s Joint Air Battle Management System, or JABMS, in a rapid-fire, nine-month drumbeat of capability “drops” in the $765m Tranche 2A of Project AIR6500.

The JABMS will combine sensors, processors, communications systems and displays in a system of systems, according to former RAN officer Liam Catterson, Lockheed Martin Australia’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence senior business development manager.

When eventually completed the multi-phase, multi-billion dollar JABMS will be the heart of the ADF’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) system. Its goal is to integrate data from the ADF’s network of sensors to build up situational awareness of air, space, land, sea and cyber domains in real time and enable operators to neutralise threats using the most appropriate weapons. Lockheed Martin’s current contract covers the first part of this – Tranche 2A and the delivery of the system’s Joint Tactical Operations Centres.

The JABMS will have an open architecture designed to take feeds from legacy and existing combat management and air defence command and control systems that in time will enhance interoperability between Australia, the US and allies across the Indo-Pacific region, says Catterson. The first capability delivery under Tranche 2A is scheduled for late this year.

“And it needs to have that [open architecture] so that the commonwealth will be able to continue its iterative approach to development and can react to the changing pace of technology,” Catterson adds.

Technologies already being integrated with JBAMS include Silentium Defence’s D16 Fortress passive radars, which were delivered earlier this year, Boeing Defence Australia’s Currawong battlefield communications system and Canberra-based CEA Technologies phased array radars.

Lockheed Martin Australia aims to achieve at least 60 per cent Australian industry content on JABMS by working with other Australian-based partners. The remaining 40 per cent will be delivered through a modest element of reachback to its American parent and through other US products being supplied by partner organisations.

“The majority of the architecture and the software that goes behind it is being developed in Australia by Australians, along with some of the decision aids that are developed in Australia through our own R&D labs,” Catterson says.

The work is mostly being done at Mawson Lakes in South Australia where the company has an integration lab, with important contributions to be delivered from the company’s facilities in Melbourne, Canberra and, increasingly, Williamtown near Newcastle in NSW. The Tranche 2A work now supports more than 250 jobs directly and another 300 in the wider supply chain.

JABMS has the potential to become part of the broader, integrated fire control network across the Indo-Pacific region. The network could eventually include partners who have interoperable equipment.

The resources needed to choose and integrate the best available capabilities dictate the need for a substantial prime contractor. Lockheed Martin won the job last year after a searching evaluation by Defence of its technology credentials generally, and its specific expertise in delivering command and control systems.

The company is developing and delivering JABMS using the Agile methodology which is widely used in civilian industry but is new to CASG, Catterson says. This has enabled rapid development; the aim is to deliver an incremental increase in capability every nine months, more or less, with the goal being delivery of the JABMS Minimum Viable Capability, the JTOCs, under Tranche 2A in early 2026.

The Agile methodology requires a different mindset and behaviour compared to traditional capability development and acquisition approaches. CASG sees JABMS as an exemplar opportunity for this new approach so has worked closely with Lockheed Martin to facilitate the methodology.

Agile is also consistent with the aims of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR), National Defence Strategy (NDS), the strategy for CASG 2.0 and Defence’s recently released Innovation Science and Technology (IS&T) strategy, which all talk about asymmetry, minimum viable capability and speed to capability.

It is widely acknowledged that Australia faces worsening strategic circumstances along with Defence resourcing challenges while needing also to significantly enhance the capabilities of the ADF.

“I think the IS&T strategy is a really good example of the speed that we need to move at,” Catterson agrees. “The way we see Agile and the commonwealth’s approach to it is, we can’t do things the way we did previously because we no longer have the time to achieve it.

“Industry is willing to support that,” he believes, “because, if we don’t, it’s to the detriment of the defence of Australia.

“It is important for us to get this right and it is important for us to deliver the right capabilities at the speed of relevance.”