UPDATE ON PROJECTS OF CONCERN

The Australian Government has listed a new defence project as a Project of Concern: the Satellite Ground Station – East and Wideband SATCOM Network Management System.

While infrastructure for the project has been delivered, including three large ground antennae, it is facing ongoing schedule delays due to other technical challenges.

The project is designed to transform and improve new and existing Defence wideband ground stations and deployed systems across Australia to meet the increasing need for greater satellite communications capacity.

It will deliver a new satellite ground station and an integrated Wideband SATCOM Network Management System to Defence, harmonising operations and improving situational awareness.

This listing will increase the momentum between Defence and Northrop Grumman Australia to remediate the Wideband SATCOM Network Management system component of the project.

The Government is strengthening and revitalising Defence’s Projects of Concern process, bringing senior stakeholders from government and industry together on a regular basis to remediate listed projects.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“This new listing demonstrates the Albanese Government’s commitment to remediating underperforming projects, in order to deliver the capabilities urgently needed by the Australian Defence Force.”

“We look forward to working closely with Northrop Grumman Australia to get this project back on track and deliver the Wideband SATCOM Network Management System.”