Leidos to Deliver Counter-Drone Capability for the Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has selected Leidos Australia as its systems integration partner for Project Land 156, a major step towards strengthening Australia’s ability to defend against drone threats. Under the AU$41 million contract, Leidos will deliver a sovereign capability designed to detect, track, classify and neutralise small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) threats through an integrated network of sensors, effectors, and command-and-control technology.
As the prime systems integrator, Leidos will work to provide the ADF with near-term tactical utility and long-term operational relevance through a modular and scalable counter-small UAS capability. Designed to evolve with the threat landscape, the system can support a variety of deployments across Defence.
The project is both a benchmark and a blueprint for how we continue to deliver speed to capability. 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.
Pat Conroy
Minister for Defence Industry
Central to the solution is the Acacia Cortex Command and Control platform, developed by long-term partner Acacia Systems. This system is designed to support rapid integration of sensor and effectors, fuses data into a coherent threat picture, and manages engagement workflows under a human-in-the-loop command framework. The first live demonstration of the system is planned for Southern Arrow 25 in December.
Leidos is drawing on its extensive counter-UAS experience in the U.S., where its AirShield architecture has been trialled by the U.S. Department of Defense. This proven expertise, combined with robust Australian partnerships, enables Leidos to deliver a capability that is both trusted and sovereign.
We’re proud to bring our deep systems integration experience, sovereign capabilities, global expertise and proven systems together for Land 156.
Paul Chase
Leidos Australia Chief Executive
Leidos will work with the Commonwealth, the ADF, and selected capability partners to help accelerate established capabilities and deliver an agile, trusted, and enduring counter-UAS system for the Defence Force. Together with local SME partners, the team will maximise Australian industry capability in the delivery of sustainable sovereign support.
