Australia Scraps $7 Billion Defence Satellite Program Citing Newer Threats

Australia will continue to rely on US and commercial satellite networks.
Australia Scraps $7 Billion Defence Satellite Program Citing Newer Threats
View of Earth from space. NASA
Rex Widerstrom
Updated:
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Australia’s Department of Defence has cancelled a $7 billion ($4.62 billion) contract with U.S. defence contractor Lockheed Martin for a military satellite communications system, saying current threats were more advanced than the technology.

“Instead of a single orbit solution, Defence must instead prioritise a multi-orbit capability increasing resilience for the Australian Defence Force,” the Department said in a statement cited by AAP.

Rex Widerstrom
Rex Widerstrom
Author
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.
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