Lockheed Martin plans to award a contract later this year for the production of sonar equipment that will be integrated into Australia’s future submarines, Defense News reported Friday.
The defense contractor’s Australian arm told Defense News that it has issued a request for quote to industry.
Australia’s defense department awarded Lockheed Martin Australia a potential $565.7 million contract in January to help design, build and integrate the submarine combat system.
Lockheed is the combat systems integrator for the $39 billion submarine program.
Thales Chairman and CEO Patrice Caine told reporters Tuesday that he expects Lockheed to name a sonar technology supplier by 2019.
France-based Thales aims to win the sonar subcontract, which Defense News estimates will bring in nearly $1.2 billion in sales for the company.