Australia Purchases Ukrainian Drone Detectors for its Military

Australia has acquired Ukrainian-made drone detection systems as part of its Land 156 program, which includes procurement of drones and counter-drone technologies.

The contracts, valued at $16.9 million, were announced by the Australian Minister for Defence Industry and reported by Australian Defence Magazine.

The systems purchased include the Ukrainian-made Sugar V, an ultra-lightweight passive drone detector currently used by Ukrainian forces.

The device weighs just 250 grams and was developed by Ukrainian firm Drone Spices and manufactured by Gnizdo.

It will be distributed in the Asia-Pacific region by Advent Atum, which signed a distribution agreement in December 2024. Under the deal, Gnizdo will also promote Advent’s Horas TDE AI targeting system in Ukraine.

Sugar V is a compact evolution of the Tsukorok detector, adapted for the Australian Defence Force by Advent Atum, Drone Spices, and Gnizdo. It detects radio signals between drones and their operators, allowing users to track devices such as Orlan, Eleron, Zala, Supercam, and Lancet drones, as well as others operating on similar frequencies. Some versions are also capable of detecting Mavic drones.

The Land 156 program comprises three phases: system integration; procurement of UAVs and counter-UAV systems; and a third phase focused on “software as a service.” The $16.9 million in contracts was awarded under the second phase.

The selected companies include Axon Public Safety Australia, CACI, Droneshield, EPE, HiFraser, Highcom Technology, Key Options, Pioneer Computers Dream Industrial, Precision Technic Defence, Southtech Systems, and Steelrock Technologies.

“This means that following testing, at least 120 of the world’s most capable threat detectors and counter-drone technologies will be rapidly deployed by the Australian Defence Force,” the government said. It added that further acquisitions, including command and control equipment, sensors, and drone mitigation tools, would be announced in the following months to enhance protection of defense infrastructure.

In March, Thales Australia began testing a Bushmaster armored vehicle equipped with an automated electronic warfare system to counter drones, drawing on lessons learned from Ukraine. The system is designed to detect threats and adjust in real time.