• Sunrise at the AN/TPS-77 Tactical Air Defence Radar System situated on a ridge near Gunnedah, New South Wales. (Defence)
    Sunrise at the AN/TPS-77 Tactical Air Defence Radar System situated on a ridge near Gunnedah, New South Wales. (Defence)
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Lockheed Martin Australia has signed a new five year contract with Defence for ongoing sustainment of the Tactical Air Defence Radar System (TADRS), which is used by the RAAF for air surveillance operations.  

The TADRS is a deployable tactical air defence radar based on the Lockheed Martin AN/TPS-77 Long Range Radar System that enables air surveillance, command and control functions in support of military and humanitarian missions. It can be deployed via air, land or sea and can operate either autonomously with minimal maintenance staff or with a complement of surveillance operators, dependent upon mission needs.

The $50 million contract continues a long-standing Air Battlespace Management capability partnership between Lockheed Martin Australia and the Department of Defence. It will sustain the mobile radar system, create five new positions in Williamtown and reportedly contains more than 90 per cent Australian industry content.

Lockheed Martin Australia has provided TADRS sustainment support since the mobile radar first entered into service in 2004.

“The TADRS is absolutely vital to Australia’s ability to rapidly deploy air surveillance as well as command and control functions wherever the mission requires,” Joe North, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Australia and NZ, said. “We are proud to have provided sustainment services in support of Australia’s TADRS capability for sixteen years and the award of this new contract will ensure the continuation of the TADRS Program well into the future.”

 

“This is a great example of the importance of partnerships between Defence and industry with the creation of additional highly skilled positions in what is a vibrant regional defence hub,” Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said.

“The TADRS complements the Government’s investment in Australia’s surveillance and intelligence data collection and analysis capability.

“The importance of this capability was highlighted in the recently-released 2020 Force Posture Plan.

“With more than 90 per cent of the contract dedicated to Australian industry content, this project not only delivers new technology for a cutting edge ADF but also represents an enormous opportunity for Australian industry.” 

Lockheed Martin Australia employs a team of 25 systems, hardware and logistics engineers, technicians, program managers, commercial and business staff to work on the TADRS.

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