Australian-designed “Star Wars” technology to counter drone attacks will receive a funding boost, as the Government sets aside billions over the next decade to deal with the threat from unmanned weapons which are being used to devastating effect in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has announced two initial contracts for locally developed counter-drone platforms worth about $31 million, as the military rushes to catch up on modern warfare methods.
The $7 billion overall funding, contained in the latest Integrated Investment Program, is more than double what was allocated for counter drones in the 2024 IIP, and is being drawn from the cancellation of other unspecified defence projects.
During a visit to Melbourne, Mr Conroy confirmed new contracts for Australian companies AIM Defence and SYPAQ Systems to further enhance their locally developed counter-drone systems.
The funding for AIM Defence is to enhance its high-powered counter-drone laser technology known asFractl, a system designed to destroy individual threats as well as swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The portable high-energy laser system is capable of tracking objects as small as a 10-cent piece travelling at more than 100km/h and the technology is powerful enough to burn through steel.
SYPAQ Systems is being supported to develop the Corvo Strike, an interceptor drone designed to track, target and destroy larger drones now commonly employed on battlefields.
Mr Conroy said the Corvo Strike system would be used to take out large drones like the Iranian developed Shahed which is being currently being deployed in both Ukraine and in the Middle East.
“What we’re seeing here would once be thought of in movies like Star Wars or in other science fiction. But this has arrived today. Star Wars is happening right now in Australia because of the great brains that are working at companies like SYPAQ and AIM, ”the Defence Industry Minister told reporters after touring the SYPAQ facility.
“We’re seeing nations having to use $3 million missiles to take out a $100,000 drone. These systems can be deployed and cost tens of thousands of dollars to take out a $100,000 drone.
“So, this is rebalancing that cost-benefit ratio in the interests of the Australian Defence Force.”
Former Defence official Marcus Hellyer has welcomed the greater investment in counter-drones but warned Australia had been slow to respond to the emergence of drones and counter measures on the modern battlefield.
“It’s a step in the right direction but we need to move quickly to catch up. I still don’t think we’re doing enough on drones and counter-drones,” he said.
SYPAQ Managing Director and CEO Amanda Holt, said “Corvo Strike” was “100 per cent Australian designed, developed and manufactured sovereign capability” built by young men and women in Melbourne.
Dr Hellyer, head of research at Strategic Analysis Australia, also criticised the announcement for lacking transparency because it was unclear where the new money for counter-drones was coming from or if it was indeed new funding.
“It’s scattered across a bunch of lines hidden in the detail of last week’s publicly released version of the IIP, which means they can pretty much make up any number or include anything to reach the overall figure”.
“Spending over the decade on undersea warfare and uncrewed maritime systems has actually gone down in this National Defence Strategy, from $5.2b-$7.2b in 2024 to $4.8-$5.8b in this IIP.”
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