Australia launches hunt for counter-drone systems

Gordon Arthur | Shephard Media

Australia is looking for a counter-drone system and is turning to its substantial local companies in the field such as Drone Shield, EOS and Codarra.

Australia is seeking to create its own counter-uncrewed aerial system (CUAS) capability with a Request for Tender expected on 30 January as the war in Ukraine highlights the need.

An Invitation to Tender was issued on 21 November 2024 and a strategic partner should be chosen mid–year. A baseline CUAS capability is sought by December 2025, although a minimum viable capability is slated only for December 2030.

Under the multi-stage Project Land 156, Australia’s Department of Defence (DoD) is seeking a systems integration partner to manage the acquisition of a CUAS suitable to counter small uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs). The CUAS will operate against NATO Class 1 and 2 standard air vehicles weighing up to 24kg.

The desired solution will include sensors, effectors and command and control (C2) network. The partner will conduct market analysis, and then will design, implement, manage and provide ongoing assurance of the capability.

Land 156 envisages a complete system of electro-optic, active and passive radars, and acoustic and thermal sensors, all connected to a C2 system that cues effectors for engagement. Targeting could include radio frequency, electromagnetic, directed-energy or hard-kill methods.

The procurement is being led by the DoD’s Electronic Warfare and Intelligence Systems Branch Joint Systems Division of the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group.

The division’s assistant secretary, Alex Rothwell, said: “These capabilities will be used to protect deployed forces, domestically and internationally, to secure infrastructure, expeditionary bases, dismounted personnel and all classes of ADF vehicles.

“The mature counter-small UAS capability will necessarily need to be agile to respond to threat evolution, and be scalable for multiple, large-scale deployments.”

Australia is home to a number of companies active in the CUAS and related field, such as Acacia, Boresight, Codarra, Department 13, DroneShield, EOS and Silentium.

Australia released this graphic showing the different elements it needs for an effective CUAS system under Project Land 156. (Image: ADF)

DroneShield is well known internationally, and it has delivered 1,000+ DroneGun and RfPatrol devices to Ukraine so far and also to the Australian Army. It has also delivered some handheld CUAS devices to Australia’s Special Operations Command under Project Land 1508.

The Australian company EOS is also providing weapons to Ukraine, and its CUAS catalogue includes the Slinger remote-controlled weapon station, Titanis layered suite, a high-energy laser weapon and laser dazzler.

EOS CEO Dr Andreas Schwer said: “While electronic warfare will remain part of the counter-drone arsenal, it’s increasingly recognised that kinetic and high-energy lasers are key to defending this threat.”

An EOS official told Shephard that the Ukraine conflict is teaching a number of lessons, notably that a multi-layered approach with a variety of effectors is necessary.

Longer-range effectors are required and, while rockets and missiles are still in demand, they must be cost-effective and reserved for appropriate UAV targets, the official said.

Furthermore, EOS noted it is becoming more difficult for soft-kill solutions like jammers and spoofers to remain effective, because UAVs are becoming more hardened.

“More and more, it’s the kinetic effectors that have the most effect,” the EOS official said.

Australia has already made an initial foray into -UAS, with Anduril Australia announcing last September it had received a three-year A$30 million (US$18.5 million) contract. The contract is for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to trial CUAS and counter-intrusion capabilities at RAAF Base Darwin.

In a parallel effort, Melbourne-based AIM Defence is supplying a second and third Fractl tactical high-power laser unit to the ADF under a A$4.8 million deal signed last August.

The ADF had issued AIM Defence with a A$4.9 million contract for a suitcase-sized Fractl:2 prototype in March 2024, and the army subsequently demonstrated its hard-kill CUAS system in testing last May.