$9.9 million DoD Contract
Five Eyes DoD awards DroneShield a record $9.9 million contract
The award follows DroneShield successfully completing a $3.8 million contract with the same customer
Ongoing significant momentum in the business in a rapidly expanding market
DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (DroneShield or the Company) has been awarded a follow-on 2-year R&D contract with a total value of $9.9 million by a Five Eyes Department of Defence (DoD). Approximately $4.5 million is due in the September and December 2023 quarters. Five Eyes refers to the defence/intelligence alliance between the US, Canada, UK, Australia and NZ.
The award follows DroneShield materially completing the $3.8 million contract announced 4 June 2021 with the DoD, with a final milestone payment expected this month.
Oleg Vornik, DroneShield’s CEO, commented, “Follow-on contracts are the ultimate customer measure of our performance. As an Australian sovereign industrial capability business, DroneShield is proud and pleased to continue undertaking multi-year contracts of increasing size with this customer.”
“This is the largest long-term contract received by DroneShield to date, significantly larger than the earlier, $3.8 million contract. The 2-year term locks in cash receipts over a period of time. Further larger contracts are anticipated following completion of this phase.”
“In the current uncertain geopolitical environment, there is a significant focus by the Five Eyes Governments to procure from defence industrial capability champions within their network of countries. Having deep engineering and research capability, TRL9 products and a track record of working with Defence, places DroneShield in a favourable position for ongoing work.”
Operational Update
Following a strong $7 million cash receipts 1Q23 quarter, DroneShield is on track for an all-time record 2Q23 quarter and continuing on a trajectory for another record year for cash receipts in 2023. Further detail will be provided in the next 4C quarterly, due to be released later in July.
Significant progress on manufacturing, operations and inventory scale-up to support additional anticipated orders for remainder of 2023. DroneShield is currently finalizing the location for a larger industrial site to move its Sydney operations to enable the growth.
With the $11 million contract announced in December now fully delivered and paid for, DroneShield is progressing the inventory build of the second $11 million order announced in January, expected to be delivered later this year.
Current order book (committed and binding customer purchase orders) of approximately $29 million, an all-time record.
Over $200 million qualified opportunities pipeline (in addition to the order book), across approximately 80 projects.
Ongoing record demand for counterdrone / C-UAS equipment, underscored by the events in Ukraine and increasing defence and security budgets globally.
In addition to military and intelligence communities, significant engagement with critical infrastructure plants, airports and other civilian customers.
Image: Operator with the tablet console of DroneShield DroneSentry-X vehicle counterdrone system