Lockheed Martin Australia this morning announced the creation of a secure National Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) Ecosystem in Australia, investing $74 million in the facility.

Northrop Grumman Australia (NGA) has confirmed it submitted its response to Air 6500 Phase 1 Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS), Competitive Evaluation Process Stage 2 (CEP2).

Rohde & Schwarz Australia has completed its scope of work as communications systems integrator (CSI) for the Air Ground Air Transition (AGAT) project lead by BAE Systems, or Air 5431 Phase 3.

Lockheed Martin Australia has signed C4i for a contract as part of a proposal to deliver advanced secure communication capabilities to support the RAAF's Air 6500 Phase 1 program.

Components for the Volanti aircraft will be manufactured at Quickstep’s Geelong facility, allowing Carbonix to initially fulfill an order from Anduril.

Behind the RAAF, the Republic of Singapore Air Force was the largest participant in the recent Pitch Black air combat exercise, sending no fewer than 18 aircraft to Darwin for the duration.

After an absence of many years, US Air Force F-15 Eagles have returned to the RAAF’s Pitch Black air combat exercise, held in the Northern Territory in August and September.

One of the most interesting aspects of the recent Pitch Black 2022 exercise in the Northern Territory was the proliferation of the Airbus Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft.

After several years’ absence, the United Kingdom participated in Australia’s premier air combat exercise in the Top End, Pitch Black 2022.

The Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters returned to the skies over the Northern Territory in August and September, flying daily missions in the RAAF’s Pitch Black 2022 air combat exercise.

Another Air Force making its debut at Australia’s Pitch Black air combat exercise this year was the Republic of Korea Air Force, which deployed six upgraded KF-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets and a single Airbus KC-330 Cygnus tanker.

The French Air Force concluded its Projection d’un dispositif aérien d’Envegure en Asia du Sud-Est (Projection of a large air force in Southeast Asia) mission with the return of three Dassault Rafale B fighter jets to France on September 18.

Embraer S.A. and L3Harris Technologies have announced a partnership to develop an “Agile Tanker”, a tactical aerial refuelling option designed to address the US Air Force’s joint force refuelling requirements.

Inadequate infrastructure may hinder Defence’s efforts to develop and retain a skilled civilian workforce at RAAF Tindal to support the introduction of the MQ-4C Triton, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works has been told.

The skies over the Northern Territory echoed to the sound of Japanese fighter aircraft for the first time since the Second World War in August and September, with the participation of 3 Squadron Japan Air Self Defense Force in Exercise Pitch Black.

The German Luftwaffe deployed combat aircraft to Australia for the very first time in late August, to participate in the multi-lateral Pitch Black air combat exercise.