The government has announced a raft of drone and counter-drone systems acquisitions under Land 156, including a Ukrainian drone detection system used on the front lines.
During a press stop this morning in Canberra, four months after the announcement of Land 156, Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy announced the issue of a initial rolling wave of contracts worth $16.9 million to 11 vendors, including five Australian companies, to rapidly deliver counter-drone capability and technologies.
Those vendors are: Axon Public Safety Australia; CACI; Droneshield; EPE; HiFraser; Highcom Technology; Key Options; Pioneer Computers Dream Industrial; Precision Technic Defence; Southtech Systems; and Steelrock Technologies.
DroneShield was awarded $5 million of the $16.9 million total and has supplied its Drone Gun Mark IV and RF Patrol system. The company says it ‘stands ready’ to act as the systems integration partner under the first phase of the program.
ADM understands Defence has also acquired the ‘Sugar V’, an ultra-lightweight passive drone detection system carried by soldiers and in use with the Ukrainian military.
Weighing just 250 grams, the Sugar V was developed by Ukrainian-led company Drone Spices and produced by Gnidzo. It is distributed in the Asia-Pacific by Advent Atum, which last year announced an agreement for Advent to distribute the Sugar V in Australia whilst Gnidzo would market Advent’s HORAS fire control system in Ukraine.
The pocket-sized Sugar V is an evolution of the 'Tsukorok', which was first prototyped in 2022 based on signals from Russian ORLAN drones and has since proliferated amongst Ukrainian forces as its capability has increased. The Sugar V was 'Australianised' and co-developed by Advent Atum, Drone Spices and Gnidzo.
Land 156 consists of three stages; the prime systems integrator; UAS and counter-UAS acquisitions; and a ‘software as a service’ third stage. Today’s announcement of $16.9 million of contracts pertains to the second phase.
“This means that following testing, at least 120 of the world’s most capable threat detectors and drone-defeating technologies, will rapidly be introduced into service by the ADF,” the government said in its statement.
“The government will announce further counter-drone acquisitions in the coming months, including contracts to deliver a command-and-control capability, and additional advanced counter-drone sensors and effectors, giving the ADF more options to protect Australian defence bases.
“Through Project Land 156, the ADF will continually upgrade and refresh capabilities to address emerging drone threats. This process is driven by $58 million of investment by the Albanese Government over the past three years in research, development and prototyping.”
The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator’s (ASCA) Mission Syracuse is also accelerating the development of counter-drone capabilities.
“These capabilities will complement current in-service drones such as the Black Hornet, PUMA, Wasp, Skylark and R70 Skyranger, as well as those currently being introduced into service including the Switchblade 300, Insitu Pacific Integrator, and Quantum Systems Vector 2-in-1,” the statement added.
“We have accelerated the acquisition of an appropriate mix of drone capabilities to suit Australia’s environment of military interest and are continuing to examine new autonomous capabilities,” Minister Conroy said.
“The Australian Government knows drone and counter-drone technology will continue to evolve rapidly.
“The delivery of cutting-edge drones and counter-drone technology shows the increasing speed at which Defence and industry are able to deliver new capabilities to the ADF.”
Edited 25/07, 0825: The article previously stated the pocket-sized Sugar V or ‘Tsukorok’ was first prototyped in 2022. The Sugar V is actually an evolution of the original Tsukorok, co-developed by Advent Atum, Drone Spices and Gnidzo.