AIR 6500 is one of the most complex and hotly contested programs that will transform the Australian Defence Force, for key contender Northrop Grumman, industry capability will be essential to delivering a future-proofed capability.

The long-awaited release of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) highlighted the growing interconnectivity of the Australian Defence Force and emphasised the tactical and strategic edge these capabilities individually will bring.

Equally, the DSR highlighted the importance of combining these capabilities into a single, aggregated and “focused force” capable of delivering impactful projection and deterrence across the Indo-Pacific.

At the core of Australia’s push to knit together this disparate “system of systems” is the multi-billion-dollar AIR 6500 Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) program which will deliver a world-leading, sovereign command and control (C2) and integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) capability.

This synthesis of capabilities across sensors, multi-domain platforms and effectors will fundamentally change the way the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the broader Australian Defence Force (ADF) operate independently and in partnership with its partners across the Indo-Pacific.

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