# Leonardo to supply C-UAS to Canadian forces

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2024/03/leonardo-to-supply-c-uas-to-canadian-forces/
- Published: 2024-03-03T11:07:17+01:00
- Author: Military Africa

* _**The Falcon Shield Counter-Uncrewed Aerial System (C-UAS) will safeguard Canadian
   airspace,**_ **_installations and people against the threat posed by rogue drones._**
 * **_Its acquisition by Canada follows Falcon Shield’s success in-service with 
   the UK Armed Forces, where_** **_it has ensured the protection of critical assets
   and national security._**
 * **_Leonardo’s counter-drone technology (ACUS-Enhanced System) is on contract 
   also with the Italian Armed Forces and its modular, scalable systems are readily
   exportable worldwide._**

Leonardo has been awarded a contract by Public Services and Procurement Canada (
PSPC) to provide its Falcon Shield C-UAS system for operation by the Canadian Armed
Forces. The company will provide a number of systems and a 10-year sustainment package
that includes options for additional
equipment and the spiral development of new
capabilities.

First systems wil be delivered later this year with the Canadian Armed Forces that
wil immediately deploy Facon Shield to forward operating bases to protect deployed

personnel.

Falcon Shield is the UK’s operationally-proven solution to the growing threat from
group 1 to 3 (smaller, slower and lower flying) UAS, which are usually undetectable
by conventional air surveillance equipment. Using a mix of advanced sensors from
Leonardo and industry partners, the system rapidly detects, tracks and prioritises
threats and gives operators the means to neutralise them effectively.

Produced at Basildon and Southampton Suites, Falcon Shield is in service with the
UK’s Armed Forces,s trusted by close allies on operations and is readily available
for export customers worldwide. Leonardo continues to update Falcon Shield to ensure
it remains cutting-edge in a rapidly evolving security landscape.

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For its UK Royal Air Force (RAF) customer, Leonardo has delivered seven compete 
baseline counter-drone systems (called ORCUS in RAF service) for the service’s ‘
Synergia’ research and development programme.

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The RAF is aso employing these systems as a national standby capability in support
of the Emergency Services.

In this role, the RAF has operated Leonardo counter-UAS technology during a number
of high-profile events including the 2021 G7 summit in Cornwall and Birmingham 2022
Commonwealth games. During Christmas 2018, Falcon Shield has been deployed at both
London Gatwick and Heathrow airports following suspected drone sightings, allowing
air operations to resume.

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Leonardo has also been working with the United States Armed Forces as part of the
ongoing collaboration between the UK and US on counter-drone research and development.
Under this partnership, the company has integrated the US Air Force Research Laboratory(
AFRL)’s NINJA technology into the RAF ORCUS system and demonstrated its ability 
to detect dozens of small drone platforms in the airspace around airbases and then
mitigate them.

Leonardo wll be operating Falcon Shield at Canada’s ‘Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems
Sandbox 2024’ exercise, being held in Suffield, Alberta this June, where it will
counter drones flown by the Canadian Armed Forces’ ‘red team’ operators.

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