Leidos demos counter-drone capability for ADF

Leidos Australia and its Land 156 project partners recently demonstrated a mission-ready counter-drone capability for the Australian Defence Force, shooting down drones kinetically and non-kinetically, achieving a key milestone in advancing Australia’s ability to counter evolving aerial threats. The Exercise Southern Arrow 25 live-fire event confirmed the effectiveness and successful integration of cutting-edge systems to detect, track and neutralise small Group 1 and Group 2 drones in the field. Leidos Australia validated and integrated core technologies, bringing together advanced sensors, effectors and command and control capabilities into a cohesive, mission-ready solution. Australian technologies included the Acacia Systems’ Cortex command-and-control system, EOS Defence Systems’ effector suite and Department 13’s sensor system, alongside Echodyne’s MESA radars and L3 Harris’ VAMPIRE laser-guided rocket system for detection, tracking, identification and defeat of small drones. Leidos Australia Chief Executive Paul Chase said: “The development and successful trial of advanced counter-drone technology is a testament to Australia’s thriving innovation ecosystem and the technical expertise within our defence sector. We are proud to be part of the team strengthening Australia’s sovereign defence capability through mission-critical systems that can provide immediate tactical utility and long-term operational relevance.” For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Group Sales Director Simon Hadfield at [email protected]