Case Study: Driving a multi-stream counter-UAS acquisition to capability at pace
Client: Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG), EWIS, Joint & Air Systems Program Office
Project: Land 156 CsUAS
How Profectus deployed a senior Integrated Project Manager to coordinate the tender, contract, governance, risk and schedule activity behind the Land 156 Counter-small Uncrewed Aerial Systems project, helping CASG deliver protective capability to the ADF at pace.
Client and context
The Land 156 Counter-small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (CsUAS) project, managed within the Electromagnetic Warfare and Intelligence Systems (EWIS) Branch of the Joint & Air Systems Program Office (J&A SPO), is a high-profile Defence initiative aimed at delivering integrated counter-UAS capabilities for the Australian Defence Force. The project seeks to protect Defence personnel, bases and assets from the growing threat of small uncrewed aerial systems through a mix of sense and effect countermeasures, designed to operate across dismounted, mobile and fixed-site environments.
Land 156 represents one of Defence’s most significant capability modernisation efforts in the electronic warfare and force protection domain, with a purpose of providing scalable, rapidly deployable solutions to ensure operational advantage and survivability in contested electromagnetic environments.
The engagement
CASG required a Level 3 Integrated Project Manager with advanced Defence acquisition and governance expertise. Profectus was engaged under the Defence Support Services (DSS) Panel to provide an experienced project management resource supporting the acquisition, coordination and delivery of this complex, multi-line programme from its Canberra-based office at Russell. The remit spanned planning, delivery and sustainment functions across all CsUAS Lines of Effort, including tender development, contract negotiation, governance, risk and schedule reporting.
The challenge
Delivering a capability of this complexity required tight coordination across multiple lines of effort and stakeholders spanning Defence and industry, under a compressed schedule:
- Three parallel streams: establishing a Systems Integration Partner to consolidate multiple technology and sensor systems into an interoperable CsUAS framework, delivering a dismounted CsUAS capability for mobile forces, and developing a Defence standing offer panel for rapid procurement
- Separate acquisition pathways: each stream carried its own commercial frameworks, technical dependencies and acquisition routes that had to be synchronised rather than run in isolation
- Compressed schedule: initial funding was allocated in early 2025 with acquisition, acceptance and integration ramping up immediately, and initial systems acquired and delivered in Q3 2025 to meet ministerial timeframes
- Procurement and assurance: maintaining compliance with Defence procurement policy, governance frameworks and safety assurance requirements throughout accelerated delivery
Our approach
Profectus deployed a senior Integrated Project Manager with a proven background in Defence acquisition, systems integration and cross-domain stakeholder engagement, embedded within EWIS J&A SPO.
Milestone and schedule coordination
The Integrated Project Manager coordinated the delivery of project milestones, schedules and performance tracking across all CsUAS Lines of Effort, and developed and maintained risk, schedule and performance reporting tools to inform executive decision-making.
Tender and contract leadership
Profectus managed tender development, evaluation and contract negotiation for major acquisition activities, ensuring deliverables met Defence procurement, governance and financial management frameworks across the three streams.
Cross-stakeholder alignment
The engagement led coordination between Defence, DSTG, CIOG, Army and industry partners to maintain alignment of operational and technical requirements, supported capability transition planning for early in-service readiness, and enabled workforce upskilling and knowledge transfer to sustain programme management capability within the SPO.
What we delivered
- Structured governance: project control mechanisms providing clear visibility of cost, schedule and performance metrics across the acquisition
- Synchronised streams: coordinated delivery across integration, dismounted capability and standing offer panel activities so the three acquisition streams moved in step
- Stakeholder alignment: improved information flow and decision velocity across multiple Defence and industry partners
- Early assurance: risk and assurance frameworks established early to support continuous improvement and accountability, with critical early milestones achieved in line with ministerial direction
Systems and methods
Defence procurement and governance frameworks · tender development and evaluation · contract negotiation · risk, schedule and performance reporting · Defence Support Services (DSS) Panel
The result
The Land 156 CsUAS project made rapid progress since establishing its acquisition and integration framework, with Profectus support contributing directly to Defence’s ability to maintain governance discipline while achieving accelerated delivery schedules. The project was recognised as one of the first within CASG to successfully demonstrate the “Speed to Capability” principle, achieving measurable delivery outcomes within significantly reduced timeframes. This was publicly noted by the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, who described Land 156 as both a benchmark and a blueprint for how Defence will continue to deliver capability at pace. By contributing to a nationally significant project, Profectus reinforced its reputation as a trusted Defence delivery partner able to supply cleared, high-performing project management professionals who integrate seamlessly into Defence structures.