Australia has formally started its push for a medium range, ground based air defense system as Canberra confronts a glaring weakness in the protection of an entire continent. The Australian Army currently has only a regiment’s worth of NASAMS short range air defense systems.

Recognizing that limited coverage is nowhere near enough, Australia’s Department of Defence launched an industry solicitation for Project Land 6504 on Oct. 13. The tender seeks a proven solution that can strengthen the country’s broader integrated air defense network.

The potential deal has already attracted interest from vendors in Europe, Israel, South Korea, Turkey and the United States. That field gives Canberra several possible paths as it tries to move the project forward on a demanding schedule.

China’s increasing military capability is a central motivation behind the effort. The People’s Liberation Army sent a naval task group around Australia in early 2025, an operation that alarmed observers.

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China then fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the South Pacific in July this year. With China possessing the world’s most diverse missile arsenal, Australia has concluded that its existing defenses need substantial improvement.

Project Land 6504 is seeking a defensive system able to intercept ballistic missiles during the terminal phase of flight. The chosen system must also address subsonic air breathing threats.

The National Defence Strategy 2026 prioritized missile defense and called for the “accelerated introduction of medium-range, ground-based, active missile defense through investment in missile launchers and munitions and integrating them with the Australian Defence Force’s command-and-control systems.”

The solicitation says the envisioned off the shelf system should be a “proven capability.” It is expected to contribute to a national, integrated system rather than operate as an isolated piece of equipment.

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Money remains a persistent problem for Australia’s defense plans. AUKUS nuclear powered submarines are consuming available defense funding, leaving Canberra to balance the missile defense requirement against another major military investment.

The project’s rapid schedule may pose an even greater risk. Australia plans to select the winning vendor by the end of 2027, leaving limited time to integrate, test and prepare the system for operational use.

The solution is expected to conduct live firing during Exercise Talisman Saber around the middle of 2029. Initial operational capability is scheduled for the early 2030s.

Integration will be crucial to the project. The expeditionary air defense system must work with radars from CEA Technologies and the Joint Air Battle Management System being developed by Lockheed Martin Australia.

Because of the tight timeline, Canberra is simultaneously pursuing a direct commercial sale and the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process. That dual approach keeps more than one acquisition route open while officials work toward the 2027 vendor decision.

The timing could improve the prospects of non American missile suppliers. The United States is dealing with depleted magazines after using large quantities of missiles during its conflict with Iran.

A recent Congressional Research Service report warned, “Finite U.S. industrial base capacity introduces trade-offs between filling FMS orders and replenishing U.S. stockpiles. FMS delivery delays may result in cancellations, potentially affecting U.S. and partner interoperability and integration.”

Australia also has the option of adding AMRAAM-ER extended range missiles to its existing NASAMS architecture. That approach could build upon equipment already fielded by the Australian Army.

John Fry, managing director of Kongsberg Australia, confirmed the company’s interest in the program. He told Defense News, “We’re definitely interested in that program. I think the great thing with the NASAMS architecture is Kongsberg and Raytheon are evolving that into full-spectrum air defense.”

Lockheed Martin Australia demonstrated another possible approach in June when it fired an SM-2 missile from a trailer launcher. The demonstration used the Aegis combat system and a CEA radar, showing how a hybrid air defense system could employ components already available in Australia.

Project Land 6504 now gives Canberra a formal path toward filling one of its most serious defense gaps. The international competition, integration demands, funding pressure and aggressive timetable will all shape whether Australia can field the capability as planned.

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