Australia Adapts South Korea Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle for Passive Counter-Drone Warning

Hanwha Defence Australia and Visionary Machines are evaluating the Pandion Sentinel passive optical sensing system for integration on the AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicle. The concept would give crews automated detection, tracking and warning of nearby drones without emitting radar energy that could reveal the vehicle's position. The activity is an integration assessment rather than a procurement announcement, but it reflects the Australian Army's growing requirement to provide armored formations with organic counter-drone awareness before selecting or cueing electronic and kinetic defeat systems. Further trials will determine detection performance in demanding field conditions.