SYDNEY, 3 November, 2021 – Satellite communications infrastructure and services provider Av-Comm has joined with Lockheed Martin Australia’s JP9102 team to support the delivery of a next generation, sovereign Military Satellite Communication (MILSATCOM) capability for the Australian Defence Force.

With experience spanning the Government, Defence, and Telecommunication sectors, Av-Comm will support the installation of high capacity wide-band antenna and radio-frequency subsystems at several satellite ground stations. This includes work overseeing design, implementation, integration, and testing.

The JP9102 teaming agreement builds on an already strong partnership. Av-Comm have been a longstanding supplier of space hardware to Lockheed Martin Australia and have provided technical support to existing operations at Lockheed Martin Australia’s Uralla, NSW ground station for many years.

David Ball, Lockheed Martin Australia Space Regional Director, welcomed Av-Comm to the JP9102 team, noting the company has made an enduring contribution to Australia’s space capability.

“Av-Comm has a rich heritage in satellite communications and a demonstrated commitment to industry best practice. Their contribution will support the delivery of an operationally superior MILSATCOM solution for JP9102 and exemplifies the benefits in terms of trust, reliability and collaboration that our long-term partnership entails,” he said.

“As Lockheed Martin Australia continues to grow its JP9102 team, we are committed to strengthening Australia’s sovereign Defence and Space industry capability while delivering a resilient MILSATCOM system in a timely way to meet Australia’s strategic needs,” he said.

Av-Comm Managing Director Michael Cratt welcomed the announcement and his company’s expanding relationship with Lockheed Martin Australia under JP9102.

“Working with Lockheed Martin Australia, a company committed to exceptional program performance and leading innovation, presents us with a unique and mutually beneficial opportunity to contribute to the future of Australia’s satellite communications capabilities,” he said.

“As we support Lockheed Martin Australia to develop and deliver a superior satellite system, we welcome their support for us in expanding and up-skilling our workforce, strengthening our capacity to contribute to Australia’s sovereign space industry,” he added.

Av-Comm joins a growing network of Australian service providers and SMEs that are supporting Lockheed Martin Australia to deliver best-of-breed sovereign solutions and supply chain opportunities for JP9102 and beyond.

About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1,200 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

About Av-Comm

Av-Comm is a family-operated satellite communications infrastructure and services provider delivering projects across Australia and the Asia-Pacific. Headquartered in Sydney with a team of 20 engineers, technicians, product developers and project managers, Av-Comm delivers solutions for a range of partners across Government, Defence, and Telecommunications.