ADELAIDE, 18 November, 2020 – Lockheed Martin Australia today announced the award of seven contracts to Australian industry and academic organisations for a combined value of $525,000 to author White Papers on the development of novel and emerging advanced technologies in support of Australia’s Attack Class Submarine combat system.

This is the third cycle of research and development (R&D), which is funded under the Future Submarine Combat System Integrator Program, bringing the total awarded to date to over A$2m across 19 unique Australian industry and research organisations.

The R&D Program is based on an on-going 9-month cyclic process funded by the Commonwealth and administered under the Lockheed Martin Australia contract. Each R&D Cycle consists of proposals from industry and academia against a set of published R&D topics.

After a competitive review and assessment, selected responses are awarded a contract to fund development of a White Paper. Upon completion of the White Papers, further contracts may be awarded to selected respondents for Ongoing Capability Research.

Two earlier R&D cycles (Cycle 1 and Cycle 2) are currently underway with those White Papers currently being assessed for longer term Ongoing Capability Research funding.

Joe North, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, congratulated the successful contract recipients and said the Attack Class Combat System R&D Program was a further example of Lockheed Martin Australia’s ongoing commitment to meeting its contractual obligations for building a resilient and robust sovereign defence industry in Australia.

“Lockheed Martin Australia congratulates the seven new R&D contract recipients and we look forward to seeing their technology concepts continue to develop as White Papers. With a total of 19 unique Australian industry and research organisations participating to date, the Attack Class Combat System R&D Program demonstrates Australia’s world-class sovereign capabilities will play a critical role in delivering a regionally superior submarine fleet.”

“As the Combat System Integrator for Australia’s Future Submarine Program, Lockheed Martin Australia remains committed to genuine partnerships with industry and research organisations and working in concert together to realise a resilient and robust sovereign defence industry for Australia,” Mr. North said.

A total of 27 responses were received across the six Cycle 3 R&D topics, with seven successful organisations awarded contracts of $75,000 each:

• Investigate the feasibility of small form-factor, multi-function, Electronically Steered Array (ESA) for Electronic Support (ES) and Communications in submarine environment
  • Two contracts awarded under this topic to Solinnov (SA) and Curtin University (WA)
• Instantaneous 360 video - Miniturisation of optical bench
  • No contracts were awarded under this topic for Cycle 3
• Methods for improving cyber resilience of container orchestration environments
  • Two contracts awarded under this topic to IPACS (SA) and Saab (SA)
• Integration of SATCOM bearers in a single antenna payload
  • Contract awarded under this topic to EM Solutions (QLD)
• Console design in-line with, and beyond state-of-the-art currently developed for ships
  • Contract awarded under this topic to University of South Australia (SA)
• Innovative ways to manage cables
  • Contract awarded under this topic to University of Newcastle (NSW)

The Attack Class Combat System Integration R&D Program features an ongoing process to build Australian combat system technologies that have been scaled to meet the long-term capability needs for the Australian Submarine Force.

The Program includes a defined approach for the transition of successful R&D outcomes into the evolving Attack Class combat system baseline configurations.

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, Head of Communications Australia and New Zealand, +61 448 032 387.  E: michelle.m.scully@lmco.com