Adelaide-based passive radar company Silentium Defence has successfully handed over the first tranche of sensor systems for Australia’s Joint Air Battle Management System, AIR6500.

Delivered to Lockheed Martin, MAVERICK passive radar systems are designed to support the tracking of targets with higher fidelity and greater accuracy for cross-cuing of complementary sensors and effectors. Deployed as a compact, cabin-based solution, the system can be operated either independently as a stand-alone-asset or networked into a common operating picture.

The announcement marks another win for South Australia’s ever-expanding defence capability as a locally designed and built project, supported through South Australian employees, IP and skills.

South Australian staff numbers at Silentium Defence have grown 10-fold since commencing the AIR6500 partnership in 2017 and broadening its capability for defence and commercial markets – up from 5 to 64 employees.

It is also the only company in the world to deliver passive radar solutions for surveillance of sea, air, land and space – a true showcase of South Australia’s ability to pioneer world leading tech products for the global export market.

Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand Chief Executive Warren McDonald commended Silentium Defence on its steadfast commitment to agile contracting and rapid capability delivery, adding that the partnership draws on the best homegrown technologies to bolster national security efforts.

“I commend Silentium Defence on its early delivery of the first sensors under the AIR6500 Tranche 2A contract. This is an important milestone that shows Australian industry can and has stepped up to deliver accelerated sovereign capability to meet Defence’s mission.”

Dr James Palmer CEO of Silentium Defence believes that the technology delivered in today’s battlespace needs to be more robust than ever before.

“The rate and complexity with which threats are evolving in today’s battlespace is unlike anything we’ve seen before,” he said.

“With handover of our ‘MAVERICK Fortress-3D’ passive radar systems, Silentium Defence has delivered technology faster and an edge for Defence, and we’re immensely proud of that achievement.”

In 2023, Silentium Defence secured its first US contract, a direct response to increased demand for its MAVERICK passive radar system across defence and government markets.

The company continues to grow with more than 60 staff across three facilities, exports to allied nations, and an expanded presence in the United States.

Photo: Leaders at Silentium Defence’s passive radar demonstration pictured together including Kendell Kuczma, Director RMS BD LMA, Simon Palumbo EVP Silentium Defense Corporation, Kim Scott Chair Board of Directors Silentium Defence, Dr James Palmer CEO Silentium Defence, RAAF’s AIRCDRE Martin Nussio and AIRCDRE Ben Sleeman, and Warren McDonald CE LMANZ at Silentium Defence’s headquarters.