Lockheed Martin to Build Aegis Systems for Australia
July 10, 2006 :: Lockheed Martin :: News
The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin an $85 million contract to produce three Aegis Weapons Systems for Australia’s Air Warfare Destroyer program, according to a press release issued today. In June 2004, the U.S. and Australia signed a memorandum of understanding outlining Australia’s future cooperation in missile defense, which included the Aegis system as well as the long-range radar project known as DUNDEE. The first Air Warfare Destroyer is scheduled to enter service with the Royal Australian Navy in 2013. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Australia
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD
Australia’s Jindalee Radar Profiled
January 9, 2006 :: News
Australia’s Jindalee radar system, capable of “seeing” over the horizon, was recently profiled in The Australian. While standard radar sends a signal along line of sight until it bounces off its target (and therefore cannot “see” beyond the horizon), Jindalee bounces signals off the ionosphere, which lies above the stratosphere and extends about 1,000 kilometers above the surface of the Earth. The signal then bounces down onto its target, allowing Jindalee to detect threats over the horizon. In this manner, Jindalee, officially known as the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), will significantly increase the time during which the U.S. and its allies can intercept incoming ballistic missiles. The Australian notes that Jindalee will be part of a larger electronic network, including spy satellites and Aegis destroyers, able to pick up the launch of a missile and determine its course and destination. Australia plans to buy three air warfare destroyers, to be equipped with the Aegis BMD system.
In July 2004, the United States and Australia signed a memorandum of understanding pledging cooperation on missile defense for the next twenty five years. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Australia, Detection and Tracking
» Missile system details for: Project DUNDEE
U.S.-Australia Talks
January 20, 2005 :: CNN :: News
A U.S. delegation has recently been sent to Australia to continue talks on missile defense. The talks build upon the July 2004 memorandum of understanding, by which Australia pledged cooperation for the next 25 years. (Article, Link)
» July 7, 2004: Australia, U.S. sign missile defense pact
» More stories on: Allies, Australia
Australia, United States, Sign 25 Year Missile Defense Pact
July 7, 2004 :: Department of Defense :: News
The United States and Australia today signed in Washington a memorandum of understanding which describes Australia’s future cooperation in missile defense.
Areas of cooperation include technological transfer, and the use of long range “over the horizon” land-based radars in Australia, such as the DUNDEE project most recently tested in April, as well as the giving to Australia ship-based radars and interception capabilities, such as the Aegis system. (More »»»)
» More stories on: Allies, Australia
Australia to Proceed with Missile Defense
December 4, 2003 :: CNN :: News
Following months of talks, Australia has now announced it will participate in the U.S. missile defense system. “We believe that taking part in the U.S. program will serve our strategic interest, help us defend Australia and allow us to make an important contribution to global and regional security,” said Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
Meanwhile, Japan also continues to move closer to such a commitment. Both countries are strategically important to the United States’ own missile defenses for the satellite tracking stations based in those countries, quite valuable in the case of a North Korean or Chinese attack or provocation over Taiwan. In a larger sense, Australia’s announcement is only the most recent demonstration of the abandonment of policies which rely upon purely offensive notions of deterrence, and which herald a global defensive transition.
Australia already jointly operates a ballistic missile early warning station with the United States, located at Pine Gap in the Outback. The United States had also begun the joint Project DUNDEE (Down Under Early Warning Experiment) in 1997, which involved the tracking and interception of short range or so-called “theatre” ballistic missiles. (Article, Link)
» Japan moving closer to announcement for MD
» MDA description of Project DUNDEE
» More stories on: Allies, Australia
