CANBERRA, Australia, Friday, 22 May 2020 – Lockheed Martin Australia congratulates the Royal Australian Navy on the commissioning of the third and final Hobart Class guided missile destroyer, HMAS Sydney.  This milestone marks the culmination of the Air Warfare Destroyer program which sees the complete fleet of Hobart Class Destroyers joining the global Aegis fleet.

Joe North, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand congratulated the Royal Australian Navy on this significant event. “I commend the Royal Australian Navy on the commissioning of HMAS Sydney and the successful delivery of the Aegis Combat System to the Hobart Class Destroyers,” Mr North said. “It is a terrific outcome for the Royal Australian Navy, for Australia, and for Australian industry who worked on the Air Warfare Destroyer program to build Australian sovereign maritime capability. Importantly, the Aegis-equipped Hobart Class Destroyers will further enhance the Royal Australian Navy’s situational awareness on the high seas to detect and defend against critical threats.”

“Lockheed Martin pioneered systems integration more than 50 years ago, and we continually provide proven solutions as Australia’s premier naval systems integrator for the nation’s newest surface and subsurface fleets and rotary wing aircraft. We look forward to our ongoing relationship with the Royal Australian Navy and working hand-in-hand to sustain the Aegis Combat System onboard the Hobart Class Destroyers,” Mr North said.

With more than 100 Aegis-equipped ships deployed worldwide, the Royal Australian Navy is enabled to unite with the wider family of Aegis allied nations, ensuring greater global interoperability, increased maritime domain awareness and safeguards for our collective navies’ missions.

As the developer of the Aegis system, Lockheed Martin is proud to continue its legacy as the Combat System Engineering Agent (CSEA) for the US Navy to design, develop, integrate, test and sustain Aegis-equipped ships globally.

In support of the Commonwealth and Australia’s national security interests, Lockheed Martin Australia looks forward to continuing its close collaboration with the Royal Australian Navy, the US Navy and local industry to ensure the successful delivery and maintenance of Australia’s Aegis Combat System. 

About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1000 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

Media Contact:

Michelle Scully, +61 448 032 387; michelle.m.scully@lmco.com