The Australian government has established a panel of industry experts to advise defence and other agencies on all matters relating to countering the threat of small uncrewed aerial systems, or sUAS.
The Australian subsidiaries of Anduril, Cubic Defense, Leidos, L3Harris, RTX and Saab are among the 28 companies selected to join the panel, dubbed the Defence Project Land 156 Standing Offer Panel, the office of Pat Conroy, the nation’s minister for defense industry, said Thursday.
Why Did Australia Set Up a Counter-sUAS Panel?
According to Conroy, the panel builds on contracts the government previously announced as part of Land 156 to enhance Australia’s capability to address emerging drone threats.
“Counter-drone technology is critical to keeping Australia safe, and that’s why the Australian government is ensuring that defense and other government agencies will have access to the best technology,” he stated.
“This panel will help us to stay ahead of rapidly evolving drone and counter-drone technology,” he added.
Launched in 2024, Project Land 156 is an Australian Defence Force initiative to acquire a complete c-sUAS platform equipped with electro-optic sensors, acoustic and thermal sensors, and active and passive radars working with command and control systems to deliver engagement of multiple effectors. The government has allocated $918.8 million over 10 years for the program.
Leidos Australia already serves as the systems integration partner of the Australian government for Project Land 156 under a $30 million contract awarded in 2025.
What Policy Actions Is Australia Enacting to Address Drone Threats?
In addition to the panel, the Australian government enacted the Defence Amendment (Counter-UXS Measures) Regulations 2025 to authorize its defense and law enforcement agencies to disable or destroy drones that pose a risk to Australian Defence Force facilities and assets.
The ADF already operates counter-sUAS technologies. The amended regulations ensure that the technologies can be used safely and reasonably within Australia.