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Based on Lockheed Martin UK’s SkyKeeper and BARAK MX, the two companies have agreed to partner on the promotion of the Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD) system.
Under the agreement, both partners are expected to promote their air defence capabilities including protecting potential targets from the threat of missile attacks.
The partnership follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two companies signed in mid-2021 to support the joint approach to potential business options.
“We’re looking forward to further developing our partnership with IAI and working together to deliver a state-of-the-art solution designed to address the critical gap in short and medium-range ground based air defense,” Scott Arnold, vice president, integrated air and missile defence, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said.
President and chief executive of IAI Boaz Levy welcomed the opportunity to partner with Lockheed Martin, explaining that the collaboration will support the delivery of leading defence solutions to both companies’ customers
“These are the fruits of the co-operation agreement we recently signed with Lockheed Martin, the leading defence contractor in the US, and IAI’s steadfast partner over many years and in various fields. I am pleased that Lockheed Martin selected us, and I am certain this reflects the high mutual esteem existing in both the technological and business fields between the two companies. Together we will continue to lead substantial projects for our customers around the world,” Levy said.
Closer to home, QinetiQ Australia joined the Lockheed Martin Australia-led bid for the AIR 6500 program, agreeing to provide test and evaluation, verification and validation, certification and assurance services to support the development of a Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) solution.
As part of the agreement, the companies will work together to develop test and evaluation and governance frameworks to reduce risk ahead of AIR 6500-1.
Valued at an estimated $2.7 billion, the JABMS is intended to bolster situational awareness of air and missile threats via defence’s future Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) system.
The final decision on the program is expected to be announced in 2023.
[Related: Melbourne’s Ronson Gears awarded six contracts over last 18 months by Lockheed Martin]
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