Downer awarded Defence Innovation Hub contract for Muskito

Downer Defence Systems (DDS) awarded a $3 million contract through Australia’s Defence Innovation Hub to partner with several companies to deliver the Muskito capability for LAND 154 Phase 4.

“Muskito is an integrated Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) concept that will use autonomous systems and machine learning to detect threats above the ground and below the surface, and then flag them to an operator via a visual interface,” said Downer Defence Systems’ Executive General Manager, Andrew Foster.

“It is part of the capability requirements for Army’s LAND 154 Phase 4 – the Joint Counter Improvised Explosive Device Capability Project,” he said.

The Defence Innovation Hub contract will see DDS working as the Prime Systems Integrator with Australian industry partners Urban Circus, EPE, and Insitu Pacific to develop a Muskito prototype and then deliver a technology demonstration for Defence.

“IEDs and other related threats have been the scourge of Australian and allied service personnel in their operations overseas in recent decades, and we are grateful to be given an opportunity to play a role in helping to mitigate that threat,” Foster said.

“This contract underscores the Government’s commitment to working with industry to create genuine and sustainable sovereign industrial capability. The future of the defence industry is about being self-reliant and creating enduring employment opportunities for Australians,” he said.

Downer Defence Systems will act as Prime Systems Integrator and implement its Machine Learning capabilities in the detection of surface and subsurface threats, and provide overall project management to integrate the technology into the Muskito Mission System.

As partners, Urban Circus will develop the system that converts the sensor data into a visual reference for the operator, and Insitu Pacific will deliver the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will integrate with the unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to provide tactical data.

Partner EPE will draw upon its Force Protection, CIED and Route Clearance domain expertise to support the initial conduct of a concept of operations workshop. EPE will supply innovation and integration support aligned to the provision of the HDT Hunter Wolf UGV, the Cobham Ground Penetrating Radar and a number of other technical systems.

Dr Ben Guy, Chief Executive Officer of Urban Circus, said: “The future of work is to work visually. As an Australian owned and operated global leader in 3D visual systems, we are delighted to be working with Downer and Defence with this important work.”

“EPE is very pleased to partner with Downer and the Defence Innovation Hub on the Muskito program, which aligns perfectly with our focus on the delivery of Force Protection solutions,” said EPE’s Managing Director, Warwick Penrose.

“The Muskito Program will harness EPE’s CIED domain expertise, technology partners and innovative engineering to deliver a sovereign Australian capability that will protect ADF personnel deployed in nonpermissive operational environments,” he said.

“During the time we supported the ADF with unmanned aerial ISR services in Iraq and Afghanistan, our team witnessed the destructive and devastating effects of IEDs,” said Insitu Pacific’s Managing Director, Andrew Duggan, “we welcome the opportunity to be part of this Australian team to develop a worldclass counter improvised threat solution.”