The Australian government has awarded Leidos Australia a $30 million contract to serve as the systems integration partner of Project Land 156, the Australian Defence Forces’ counter-drone program. The award is part of an $848 million investment over the next decade to protect ADF personnel and assets from the growing threat of unmanned aircraft systems, Canberra said Wednesday.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the project is designed to keep pace with rapidly evolving threats by ensuring new technology can be adopted as it emerges.
“This project is both a benchmark and a blueprint for how we continue to deliver speed to capability,” Conroy noted. “Counter-drone technology is critical to keeping our ADF members safe, and that’s why the government is ensuring our soldiers, sailors and aviators are provided with the best technology to protect them,” the minister added.
Australian companies will perform most of the project’s work, supporting more than 160 local jobs and creating up to 80 new positions. Canberra announced in July its initial selection of 11 vendors for Project LAND 156 contracts worth $11 million.
The Australian Army plans to demonstrate a counter-drone system prototype by December using locally developed command, sensor, and effector systems and integration services sourced domestically. Local companies supporting the demo through their technologies include Acacia Systems and EOS Defence Systems.
Besides Project Land 156, Canberra also announced a solicitation in May for industry proposals on Mission Syracuse focused on rapidly providing add-ons to ADF’s existing counter-small UAS.