Lockheed Martin Australia has partnered with Canberra-based IT security company, Penten to deliver advanced cyber security capabilities for its Project AIR 6500 Phase 1 Joint Air Battle Management (JABM) System bid

AIR 6500 Phase 1 will form the architecture at the core of the ADF’s future Integrated Air and Missile Defence capability. Lockheed Martin and Penten will collaborate to investigate and design a cyber security framework that supports risk-reduction in the transition into the acquisition.

The cyber security technologies will focus on sovereign secure mobility, tactical communications security, cyber deception, cryptography and applied artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect, track and mitigate cyber threats.

This critical work will reinforce the security of Lockheed Martin Australia’s open systems architecture program solution for AIR 6500 Phase 1 to meet emerging and future operational needs of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

In a joint release, Penten’s General Manager Applied AI Ben Whitham said the company was dedicated to delivering world leading security technologies which enabled the warfighter to win the fight. “We solve the most complex cyber challenges of tomorrow and are proud to design an agile cyber security framework together with Lockheed Martin Australia that will protect our nation’s sovereignty,” he said.

Lockheed Martin Australia’s AIR 6500 Program Executive Steve Froelich added that the contract signified a commitment to designing a sovereign full-spectrum capability solution for AIR 6500 Phase 1. That would safeguard ADF air battle management capability, ensuring warfighters received fast and secure data and information to stay ahead of the threat.

“Our track record in delivering complex joint all domain platforms fortified with cyber-resilient tools, matched with Penten’s ground breaking expertise in defence technologies, means we are the right partner to deliver the best Joint Air Battle Management System that will provide the ADF with persistent defence against future air and missile threats,” Froelich said.