Lockheed Martin, in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Australia and the U.S. Navy, has successfully supported Taipan Strike 26, a live fire test of a developmental Medium Range Ground Based Air Defence (MRGBAD) prototype at the Woomera Test Range in Australia. This active missile demonstration showcased the integration of various systems to demonstrate a robust air defence capability option paving the way for continued integration efforts. The Taipan Strike 26 demonstration leveraged the Aegis baseline developed for the Hunter Class Frigate and the Hobart Class Destroyer modernisation programs, unlocking cross service integration and interoperability, delivering greater capability and value while leveraging existing ADF investments. This successful demonstration of the developmental MRGBAD capability not only showcases Lockheed Martin’s system integration expertise but also provides a promising outlook for future air defence projects. It demonstrates the potential for enhanced air defence capabilities that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of countries and regions. As the strategic partner for Defence’s AIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management System, Lockheed Martin Australia stands ready to integrate future MRGBAD capabilities into the ADF’s integrated air and missile defence architecture.
Key Highlights of the Demonstration:
- Advanced Radar Threat Detection: The demonstration featured CEA’s radar system from the Australian Defence Force (ADF), which identified and tracked a representative threat.
- Expeditionary Capability: Virtualised Aegis Weapons System capabilities were deployed in a small-scale, expeditionary form factor to support command and control.
- Launcher Integration: Aegis initialised a mobile ground-based launcher to engage the representative target.
“This demonstration showcased how existing systems can be integrated across domains and orchestrated across coalition partners to achieve mission success. This prototype demonstration lays the groundwork for air defence modernisation, providing decision-makers with more time to respond and increasing the effectiveness of coordinated air and missile defence systems,” said Joe DePietro, Mission Integration Command and Control Vice President and General Manager at Lockheed Martin.
“This live fire demonstration provides accelerated capability options to deliver a medium-range, ground-based air defence capability for the Australian Defence Force. This prototype system leverages existing weapons, launchers and command and control. It can fire any of the weapons currently fielded on the Hobart Class Destroyers or future Hunter Class Frigates. A medium range ground-based air defence platform will propel the ADF from point defence to a network integrated, medium range deterrent that will fundamentally enhance our operational flexibility, deterrence posture and coalition interoperability,” said Jeremy King, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand.
Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1,800 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, Defence and civil sectors. The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American defense and aerospace manufacturer. It is headquartered in North Bethesda, Maryland, United States. The company was formed by the merger of the Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. Lockheed Martin operates 4 divisions: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control; Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems; and Lockheed Martin Space. Internationally, Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. The company all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security® vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those Lockheed Martin serve always stay ahead of ready. The company also invests in healthcare systems, renewable energy systems, intelligent energy distribution, and compact nuclear fusion.
