Lockheed Martin Australia has started construction of a new A$85.9m ($59.3m) National Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) Ecosystem at Williamtown in the Hunter region.
The project was officially launched on 3 July 2026 at a sod-turning ceremony attended by Defence Industry Minister, Pat Conroy.
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Built, an Australian-owned contractor, will begin work on the project immediately, with the precinct expected to be operational by 2028.
According to Lockheed Martin, the facility is designed to support next-generation IAMD systems and will enhance Australia’s sovereign defence capability. It aims to deliver advanced support and sustainment for Australia’s F-35 fleet and is also set to support other regional F-35 operators.
The precinct will feature dedicated zones for hardware assembly, installation, system integration, validation, end-to-end testing, and maintenance of sovereign software.
Plans include the provision of advanced training in IAMD capability, with a focus on Australia’s Joint Air Battle Management System.
The facility will also back Lockheed Martin Australia’s F-35 sustainment team, its largest international F-35 support operation, and will include infrastructure for local canopy repair.
Diagnostic, repair, and test systems at the site are expected to reduce reliance on overseas services and help strengthen operational resilience for the Royal Australian Air Force.
Lockheed Martin stated that this will reinforce F-35 activities in the Indo-Pacific and within the global supply chain.
Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand chief executive Jeremy King said: “For the Hunter region, the Lockheed Martin Australia precinct generates important economic benefits.
“It creates opportunity for jobs growth, small-to-medium enterprise innovation, reinforces supply chain resilience, and positions the Hunter defence community as a strategic hub in the Indo-Pacific F-35 and IAMD ecosystem.”
The development is expected to create over 200 jobs during construction and, once operational, to generate more than 60 new aerospace roles and sustain over 230 specialist positions.
Additional opportunities are expected for local suppliers and small-to-medium enterprises to participate in the defence supply chain.
The announcement of the new facility follows a recent A$120m agreement between the Australian Government and Lockheed Martin Australia to begin local production of guided missile components.
