7NEWS Exclusive: Australia's billion-dollar drone defence system demonstrated

A proud moment for Australian sovereign capability. Congratulations to Leidos Australia and all partners involved in delivering this C-sUAS demonstration under Project LAND 156. EOS contributed the Slinger counter-drone remote weapon system as part of the integrated solution.

Report by Tim Lester, Politics and National Security Correspondent, 7NEWS | Cultana, South Australia

“Scrambling to block war's newest attack method, a swarm of armed drones. At a remote South Australian Army base, the Defense Industry Minister watches a suite of military tech drone sensors, guns, rocket fire and jammers.

Harmonized through a command and control system. Here, it unleashes hell on a small fleet of consumer drones. The counter drone program expected to cost $1.3 billion. The urgency rammed home mid-year as Ukraine's drones wreaked havoc in an audacious attack on Russia's strategic bombers. The Ukraine war has underlined the need for systems like this. Today, the government announced a new assistance package to help Ukraine in its fight. The government will spend $95 million bringing to 1.7 billion the total help for Ukraine. The new package includes support for Ukrainian drone tech, ADF equipment, including radars and munitions, as well as targeted sanctions to further tighten Russian oil supply.”

“The Pervasive Nature of drones is changing the way wars are fought. We’re doing the trials right now, and they'll be in place early next year. That is light speed by Defense Procurement.”
Hon Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry

“They can control the movement and jam the signals of these drones and prevent the operator of the drones being able to use them.”
Lt Col. Josh Mickle, Counter-Drone Project