Lockheed Martin has formed a software-engineering joint venture with Transfield Defence Systems (TDS) to take over management responsibility of Australia's troubled Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) programme.
By June, the yet-to-be named joint venture will draw up a programme to complete the over-the-horizon radar-surveillance system. If the proposal is accepted by the Australian Government, the company will receive a fixed-price contract to finish the $1 billion system.
Prime contractor Telstra and technical supplier GEC-Marconi had been due to complete work on the JORN by this year.
The programme has fallen three years behind schedule, and is not expected to be operational before the year 2001.
Industry observers blame Telstra's inexperience with defence engineering and integration and, in particular, an ambitious 1990 decision to convert the JORN from an analogue to a digital system. "The management by the last Government was the problem," says Australian defence industry minister Bronwyn Bishop.
The JORN network will consist of three radar systems, installed at Longreach in Queensland, Laverton in Western Australia and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The only system to be completed so far is a scientific testbed at Alice Springs.
As part of its due diligence over the next four months, the Melbourne-based company will dispatch teams to GEC and Telstra to assess the amount of outstanding development and integration work and how much of the funds are required to complete the JORN.
The new Lockheed Martin/ TDS venture plans to pursue other defence and commercial activities in Australia and elsewhere, and has already teamed to compete for the Australian airborne early-warning programme. The company has also acquired JORN subcontractor and software-development company Telstar.
Source: Flight International
