Airservices Australia is entering into a contract with Thales Australia to deliver the OneSKY program, providing Australia’s future air traffic management system. Minister for Industry, Lily D’Ambrosio, welcomed the announcement.
The contract will help sustain highly-skilled jobs in Melbourne and strengthen Victoria’s export industry. It is estimated that around 400 jobs will be secured.
About a quarter of all Thales Australia’s 3,200 Australian staff work in Victoria at facilities in Melbourne, Bendigo and Benalla.
Thales’ Air Traffic Management Centre in Melbourne is a global leader in air traffic control systems, and has exported more than $1 billion in products and services in the last 10 years.
Thales manufactures the successful Bushmaster and Hawkei vehicles at its Protected Vehicles site in Bendigo, where it employs 230 people. The Bushmaster has been highly successful in ADF operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thales’ Explosive Ordnance facility employs 230 people in Benalla and is an important small, medium and large calibre explosive ordnance manufacturer.
Thales Australia partners with the ADF and is also present in commercial sectors ranging from air traffic management to security systems and services.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry, Lily D’Ambrosio:
“This contract is a win for Victorian industry, with the creation of around 400 jobs.”
“This is the first time one company will provide an integrated large-scale single system for civil and defence purposes.”
“The Victorian transport and defence technology sectors have an extraordinary potential for growth. We will work with industry to secure jobs now and into the future and get Victoria back to work.”
“The Andrews Labor Government will stand with industry and Defence to ensure that Victoria secures its fair share of contracts.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020