Jane Edwards
Lockheed Martin plans to unveil a $9.8 million research laboratory in Melbourne, Australia, to focus on the development of software platforms that will work to direct attacks against hostile targets, The Age reported Monday.
Daniel Flitton writes the company will open the research center by late 2016 and expects the facility to advance technology development in the areas of hypersonic flight, machine learning and robotics.
The research lab will house up to 20 scientists as well as doctoral research students in the country, Flitton reports.
Raydon Gates, CEO of Lockheed’s Australian arm, told the publication the company’s decision to open the research facility in Melbourne seeks to demonstrate the firm’s partnership with the country for more than five decades and builds on Australia’s procurement of 72 Lockheed-built F-35 aircraft.
Australia announced plans in April 2014 to buy 58 F-35s for approximately $11.64 billion in addition to the 14 fighter jets the country ordered in 2009.
