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Canberra has hosted the latest Project of Concern Summit, with senior Defence leaders, Airservices Australia and industry representatives meeting to discuss the troubled Civil Military Air Traffic Management System program.
Chaired by Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy, the meeting reviewed progress on a remediation plan developed to address long-running delays and performance issues with the multibillion-dollar project. The summit follows the previous gathering in November 2024.
The Civil Military Air Traffic Management System (CMATS) program, jointly managed by Defence and Airservices Australia, is intended to replace separate civil and military air traffic management systems with a unified platform, streamlining operations across Australian airspace. Initially announced in 2014 and contracted to technology firm Thales in 2017, the project has since faced significant technical, schedule and cost challenges.
These setbacks led to CMATS being placed on the official Projects of Concern list, which identifies major Defence procurements requiring ministerial-level oversight.
Speaking after the summit, Minister Conroy said the meeting was an important step in maintaining pressure and accountability, “I would like to thank all representatives for their attendance as we focus on the progress we have made on remediating project performance.
“Project of Concern summits provide a valuable forum for Defence and industry to engage on projects requiring high-level intervention to achieve successful delivery. Participating parties identify remediation methods, commit to working together and review project progress.
The Albanese government has placed increased emphasis on reforming Defence procurement amid criticism over cost overruns and delays in a number of major projects.
The Projects of Concern process, introduced in 2008, is designed to drive accountability by requiring Defence, industry and government to jointly agree on a remediation strategy for high-risk programs.
“These summits are an important part of the Albanese government’s efforts to actively monitor high-priority projects and maintain momentum on the delivery of capabilities for the Australian Defence Force.”
The CMATS system is considered vital to ensuring the safe and efficient management of both civilian and military aircraft, particularly as Australia prepares for increased air traffic in the Indo-Pacific region and the introduction of advanced platforms such as the F-35A Lightning II and MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft.
While progress has been reported in recent months, the project remains under close scrutiny. Defence has not yet announced a revised delivery schedule for the system’s full operational capability.
