Northrop Grumman US received a contract on 31 July to continue maintaining and upgrading the Australian Mission Processor 3 (AMP 3) through 2029. The contract, worth $US9.3 million (~$AUD14.2 million), was awarded by the US Space Force’s (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) as part of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case with Australia.
In 2013, Northrop Grumman was awarded a $US12.1 million contract to design, build and install the AMP 3 and then provide contractor sustainment support for three years.
The AMP 3 is operated by No. 1 Remote Sensor Unit (1RSU), based at Royal Australian Air Force Base Edinburgh, and downlinks data from a variety of USSF infrared ballistic missile warning constellations, including the Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites as well as the newer Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS).
Both systems are supported by a Relay Ground Station (RGS) at Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap near Alice Springs.
While SBIRS and DSP perform missile warning missions, they also provide technical intelligence and battlespace awareness capabilities. These capabilities were highlighted in 2005 when the then Minister for Defence, Robert Hill was asked about the benefits of cooperating with the program for Australia.
"Should Australia decide it is appropriate to acquire a missile defence capability to protect its territory, population centres or deployed forces…. SBIRS would facilitate its access to missile warning data if such access is appropriate…. Technical intelligence and battlespace characterisation are the SBIRS mission areas of greater interest to Australia,” said the then Minister for Veterans Affairs, De-Anne Margaret, representing the Minister for Defence.
Through Project Air 6500, Defence is currently developing the brains of an integrated air and missile defence capability.