Lockheed Martin Australia launches rotary-wing supply chain gateway
9 October 2022
Lockheed Martin Australia has launched an Australian Industry Capability Network (ICN) Gateway to identify potential industry partners for rotary-wing sovereign sustainment in support of the Royal Australian Navy’s expanding MH-60R Seahawk fleet, and the Australian Army’s proposed UH-60M Black Hawk fleet.
Lockheed Martin Australia is calling for potential suppliers across Australia with homegrown talent and expertise in manufacturing of aero-mechanical components and aerostructures, aerospace component maintenance and repair, development of logistics and engineering management tools and more to register their interest via the ICN Gateway.
Lockheed Martin Australia Chief Executive Warren McDonald said, “In partnership with Defence and defence industry, Lockheed Martin and our subsidiary, Sikorsky Australia, have been sustaining rotary-wing assets with excellence for the Commonwealth of Australia for over 30 years. We are committed to working with like-minded Australian industry partners to grow our existing rotary-wing sovereign sustainment supply chain to reinforce Australia’s industrial self-reliance and ensure cost-effective solutions for our Defence. Through partnering with industry, we provide the opportunity to elevate their capability to the world stage and support industry to access global supply chains,” McDonald said.
With an existing footprint of over 200 personnel providing sustainment and support services to Sikorsky platforms in Australia, including a mature supply chain of local suppliers, Lockheed Martin has a strong industrial capability to leverage in support of the MH-60R Seahawk and UH-60M Black Hawk.
Christopher Hess, Lockheed Martin Australia’s Head of Industrial Development, who leads the Office of Australian Industrial Participation, said “We are proud to have provided unprecedented opportunities to Australian industry engaging with over Australian 2,500 companies, introducing some 400 new companies to the Defence industry space as well as facilitating over 150 export contracts since 2012. We look forward to increasing Australia’s sovereign rotary-wing supply chain base.”
The Lockheed Martin Australia rotary-wing sustainment ICN Gateway is open for expressions of interest until 30 June 2023.
Source: APDR