Support Equipment

AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System

Also known as
  • AIR6500
  • AIR6500-1
  • JABMS
  • Joint Air Battle Management System
  • Project AIR6500

AIR6500 is Australia’s Joint Air Battle Management System program, a Lockheed Martin Australia-led command-and-control architecture for integrated air and missile defence. Phase 1 covers the core C2 architecture, four CEA Technologies AESA radars, priority-platform integration, and an operator evaluation environment feeding the design.

AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System, Integrated air and missile defence command-and-control system, Support Equipment
Image source: Lockheed Martin AIR6500 product page
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Australia
Type
Integrated air and missile defence command-and-control system
Service note
2020s-present
Unit cost
About AUD$500 million for the Phase 1 head contract
Produced
2023-present

Specifications

Capability
Joint air battle management and integrated air and missile defence command and control
Contract value
About AUD$500 million for the Phase 1 head contract
Total approved budget
AUD$1.0972 billion current approved budget in the 2024-25 Major Projects Report
Project number
AIR6500 Phase 1
Tranche 1
Four CEA Technologies HPAR-64SG high-power phased-array radar systems
Tranche 2
Remaining Joint Air Battle Management System command-and-control scope
Priority integration
Next-generation deployable air-battle management systems, major combatant ships, and F-35A Lightning II aircraft
Operational effect
Improves situational awareness, coordination, and speed of decision making
Architecture
Sovereign open-system architecture with software, cybersecurity, modelling, simulation, and validation support
Integrated Platforms And Air-Defence Systems

AIR6500 is being built as an integration layer for priority Joint Force capabilities rather than as a stand-alone weapon.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
F-35 Lightning II, Fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35 Lightning IIStealth multirole fighter

Defence identifies F-35A Lightning II aircraft as a priority platform for initial integration with AIR6500's next-generation deployable air-battle management systems.

Sources: Government invests $500 million in defence capability and delivers job boost

NASAMS, Medium-range surface-to-air missile system, Air DefenseNASAMSGround-based air-defence system

The LAND 19 Phase 7B short-range ground-based air-defence project is required to share air-picture information with AIR6500 as part of Joint IAMD, and ANAO reports that integration with AIR6500 had been achieved via Link 16.

Sources: ANAO 2023-24 Major Projects Report LAND19 Phase 7B

Architecture And Industrial Team

AIR6500 is framed as the command-and-control layer for the ADF's future integrated air and missile defence system rather than a standalone interceptor or sensor. Public Phase 1 material separates the radar acquisition, the broader battle-management software scope, early integration with selected ADF platforms, and supporting communications and sensor inputs.

Two-tranche structure

Defence describes Tranche 1 as four CEA Technologies radars and Tranche 2 as the remaining Joint Air Battle Management System command-and-control scope.

CEA radar fit

CEA identifies the AIR6500 Phase 1 Tranche 1 radar as the CEAFAR HPAR system, with HPAR-64SG configured for mobility, long-range radar and IFF tracking, and fire-control support.

Passive sensing

Silentium Defence delivered MAVERICK Fortress-3D passive radar sensor systems to Lockheed Martin Australia for AIR6500 in July 2024.

Communications layer

Boeing Defence Australia is supplying deployed voice and data communications, while Frequentis C4i is developing sovereign voice-communications systems for AIR6500 C2 networks.

Operator evaluation

Lockheed Martin Australia developed a secure operator evaluation system so Defence air battle managers could provide design and functionality feedback during development.

Software assurance

Leidos Australia was contracted to support software development, cybersecurity, modelling and simulation, and verification and validation for the AIR6500 enterprise.

Timeline

AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System Key Events

  1. Lockheed Martin Australia selected as strategic partner

    Lockheed Martin announced that it had been selected as the Australian Defence Force’s strategic partner for AIR6500 Phase 1, the Joint Air Battle Management System.

    Sources: Lockheed Martin AIR6500 strategic partner

  2. AUD$500 million head contract signed

    Lockheed Martin Australia and Defence signed the AIR6500 Phase 1 head contract to build the Joint Air Battle Management System in Australia.

    Sources: Lockheed Martin AIR6500 head contract, Lockheed Martin Australia signs $500m Air 6500 Phase 1 contract

  3. Defence describes the core command-and-control architecture

    Defence said AIR6500 Phase 1 would provide the core command-and-control architecture for the ADF’s future integrated air and missile defence capability, including four CEA Technologies radars.

    Sources: Joint Air Battle Management System - Defence, Latest contract a big deal for air defence

  4. Leidos joins AIR6500 software and cyber work

    Leidos Australia announced software development, cybersecurity, modelling and simulation, and verification-and-validation support for the Joint Air Battle Management System enterprise.

    Sources: Leidos AIR6500 software and cyber services

  5. Major Projects Report records incremental delivery status

    The ANAO project data sheet reported that AIR6500 had delivered Materiel Release 1, while Tranche 1 radar deliveries and follow-on operational releases were delayed as at 30 June 2025.

    Sources: ANAO 2024-25 Major Projects Report AIR6500

Media

AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System Videos

AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System Images

AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System, Integrated air and missile defence command-and-control system, Support Equipment - view 1
Source: Lockheed Martin AIR6500 product page
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Sources

Government invests $500 million in defence capability and delivers job boostPublisher: Australian Government | Note: Supports AIR6500 initial integration with priority platforms, including F-35A Lightning II aircraft. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Lockheed Martin AIR6500 product pagePublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports AIR6500 manufacturer background, situational-awareness role, decision-speed claims, official product-page image provenance, and the embedded official AIR6500 explainer video. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Lockheed Martin AIR6500 strategic partnerPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports AIR6500 Phase 1 strategic-partner selection, Joint Air Battle Management System background, Australian industry workshare, and the broader IAMD architecture. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Lockheed Martin AIR6500 head contractPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports the AUD$500 million AIR6500-1 head contract, the operator evaluation system, and the design feedback environment for Defence air battle managers; also supports image provenance for the AIR6500 operations-center photo used in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Joint Air Battle Management System - DefencePublisher: Australian Department of Defence | Note: Supports the AIR6500 Phase 1 project description, command-and-control architecture, four CEA Technologies radars, interoperability goals, and the project number. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Latest contract a big deal for air defencePublisher: Australian Department of Defence | Note: Supports the April 2024 contract context, command-and-control role, and the four advanced air-defence radars supplied under Project AIR6500. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Lockheed Martin Australia signs $500m Air 6500 Phase 1 contractPublisher: Australian Defence Magazine | Note: Supports the AIR6500 Phase 1 head-contract value, Joint Air Battle Management System role, CEA Technologies radar tranche, and operator evaluation system context from defence-industry reporting. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Leidos AIR6500 software and cyber servicesPublisher: Leidos | Note: Supports Leidos Australia's AIR6500 software development, cybersecurity, modelling and simulation, validation, and JP2096 situational-awareness integration context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01ANAO 2024-25 Major Projects Report AIR6500Publisher: Australian National Audit Office | Note: Supports AIR6500 project number, total approved budget, JABMS/IAMD C2 description, HPAR-64SG radar quantity, Materiel Release 1 status, and delayed Tranche 1 radar/operational releases as at 30 June 2025. | Accessed: 2026-07-01CEA AIR6500 Phase 1 Tranche 1Publisher: CEA Technologies | Note: Supports the CEAFAR HPAR procurement under AIR6500 Phase 1 Tranche 1 and the HPAR-64SG mobility, surveillance, IFF tracking, and fire-control support claims. | Accessed: 2026-07-01ANAO 2023-24 Major Projects Report LAND19 Phase 7BPublisher: Australian National Audit Office | Note: Supports the LAND 19 Phase 7B/NASAMS requirement to share air-picture information with AIR6500 and the achieved Link 16 integration with AIR6500. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Silentium Defence delivers first passive sensors for AIR6500Publisher: Lockheed Martin Australia | Note: Supports Silentium Defence's delivery of MAVERICK Fortress-3D passive radar sensor systems to Lockheed Martin Australia for AIR6500. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Boeing technology to power AIR6500 communicationsPublisher: Lockheed Martin Australia | Note: Supports Boeing Defence Australia's deployed communications role for AIR6500, including voice and data services for the JABMS command-and-control system. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Frequentis C4i secure communications for AIR6500Publisher: Lockheed Martin Australia | Note: Supports Frequentis C4i's sovereign voice-communications systems work for AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management C2 networks. | Accessed: 2026-07-01