Local technology to disrupt US illegal drug trade

BAE Systems Australia will export defence technology designed and developed in Australia to detect and disrupt illicit drugs entering the United States.

The company today announced it would deliver a multi-mission digital high frequency (HF) receiver system into the US Government’s Maritime-centric Over the Horizon Radar (MASOR) project which is now a critical part of the war against drug imports into the US.

The technology, designed and developed by the company alongside Australian academics and SMEs, will be integrated into the US Navy’s Forces Surveillance Support Center.

BAE Systems Australia CEO Gabby Costigan said that through collaboration with defence, industry and academia, Australia leads the world in HF technologies.

Costigan said: “Our commitment and investment to support the spiral development of these sovereign technologies enables us to develop valuable new opportunities to collaborate with allied nations and grow the nation’s exports.

“We have been collaborating with the US on High Frequency radar technologies for over a decade and we’re extremely proud to work on projects like MASOR which leverage our world class Over The Horizon Radar capability and expertise to improve strategic surveillance capabilities in the US.”

BAE Systems Australia is currently upgrading electronics systems on Australia’s Jindalee over the horizon radar (JORN) surveillance system, and has been at the forefront of the development of high frequency systems technologies for more than 40 years.

The $18 million digital receiver system enables the integration of multiple images so the US Navy can accurately identify targets of interest across a range of up to 3000 kilometres.

Increasing these maritime surface target detections and tracking capability is expected to help cut the entry of illicit drugs entering the US.

Picture: BAE Systems

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