Three Australian manufacturers deliver 300 UASs to the ADF

Three Australian manufacturers – AMSL Aero, Boresight and Grabba Technologies – have delivered 100 Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) each to the Australian Defence Force (ADF). They are now delivering an undisclosed number of extra UASs worth around $1.5 million.

The UASs were developed under the ADF’s Sovereign UAS Challenge which took place in April 2024, managed by the Australian Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), according to Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry. Each of the ten Australian companies that participated competed to win a $2.2 million contract to grow their production capacity, finalise development of their prototypes to a production standard and produce 100 general-purpose drones.

Sydney-based AMSL Aero, Canberra-based Boresight and Brisbane-based Grabba Technologies  were the winners.

Speaking to the Queensland Media Club in Brisbane on 19 August Conroy said, “Over the next 10 years we will invest heavily on the development and introduction of a range of cutting-edge airborne, surface, and submarine drone systems.

“While all eyes are on the accelerating evolution of drone warfare in Ukraine, their use is proliferating in conflicts around the world,” he added. “This is acutely relevant to every defence force, in every country. Australia is no exception. It’s why we have accelerated the acquisition of an appropriate mix of drone and counter-drone capabilities and are continuing to examine new autonomous capabilities.”

“The modern battlespace and operating environment exemplify the fundamental necessity of UAS capability,” said the Head of ASCA, MAGEN Hugh Meggitt. “The Sovereign UAS Challenge demonstrates ASCA’s ability to accelerate priority capability requirements for the Australian Defence Force.

“ASCA is enhancing the resilience of our sovereign industrial base,” he added. “The Sovereign UAS Challenge … ensures AMSL Aero, Boresight and Grabba Technologies have the production capacity to supply drones at scale, as, if and when required.”

One hundred units of each design have been delivered to the Australian Army, completing the final milestone of the challenge.  But the Australian Department of Defence is also acquiring additional UASs from across the three companies valued at more than $1.5 million, said the department in a statement, with future orders planned.

The Australian Government says it will invest $600 million of approved funding into the development and introduction of a range of cutting-edge airborne, surface, and subsurface drone systems over the next 10 years, the statement added.

A further $4-5 billion of unapproved funding has been identified in the 2024 Integrated Investment Program for drone and counter-drone capabilities.

Conroy announced also further rapid delivery of counter-UAS capabilities to the ADF under Line of Effort 2 of Project LAND156. Defence has issued contracts now totalling $38.7 million dollars to 20 vendors, including 14 Australian companies, as part of a planned $1.3 billion investment in Counter-UAS capabilities over the next 10 years.

“Under those contracts, and accelerated testing, at least 120 of the world’s most capable threat detectors and drone-defeating technologies will be rapidly introduced into use,” Conroy said. “The technology is evolving rapidly … and we are moving with it.”

He said also that Line of Effort 1 in Project LAND156, which includes Defence’s Systems Integration Partner, will include a Command and Control capability and additional C-UAS sensors and effectors; an announcement is due “in the very near future” he said.