HighCom secures NZ$1.96m Counter Drone contract with New Zealand Defence Force
HighCom Limited (ASX: HCL), through its wholly owned subsidiary HighCom Technology Pty Ltd, has signed a NZ$1.96 million (A$1.63 million) contract to supply Counter Drone Systems to the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).
The win follows the company’s recent A$8.9m Australian Defence Force (ADF) CUAS order, signalling growing regional momentum for its counter-drone capability.
The A$8.9m ADF counter-drone contract, secured in April 2026, marked HighCom Technology’s entry into the C-UAS domain and established the MyDefence partnership that now underpins the NZDF supply arrangement.
The contract covers the MyDefence counter-drone system, spares and training support, and is expected to be delivered in FY27. The A$1.63 million figure has been calculated using an assumed exchange rate of AUD1 = NZD1.2.
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What the contract covers and why it matters
The deal marks a second regional defence force win for HighCom, extending validation of its CUAS offering beyond Australia. Key details include:
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Contract value: NZ$1.96 million (~A$1.63 million)
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Customer: New Zealand Defence Force
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Product: MyDefence counter-drone system, plus spares and training support
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Contracting entity: HighCom Technology Pty Ltd (wholly owned subsidiary)
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Expected delivery: FY27
According to the company, the order continues the build-out of its “regional CUAS supply, integration, commissioning and support services capability set.” This multi-service positioning points to a broader capability offering rather than a single hardware sale.
Building a regional CUAS Centre of Excellence
Beyond the contract itself, HighCom is moving to establish a CUAS Centre of Excellence to inform, train and support its growing customer set. The company frames this as a capability build-out designed to service what it describes as a “fast-growing market segment.”
HighCom Technology is focused on the integration of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), counter-UAS (C-UAS) solutions and associated command and control systems, working in close collaboration with its sister division, HighCom Armor Systems, supporting the Company’s mission to “protect first and front-line responders.”
Bede Galvin, President, HighCom Technology
“We are delighted to be selected as the supplier of MyDefence C-UAS products for the New Zealand Defence Force, expanding on our success in supplying and supporting equipment to the Australian Defence Force. This order continues the build-out of our regional CUAS supply, integration, commissioning and support services capability set and ensures that we are well placed to service this fast-growing market segment. We look forward to continuing to support the NZDF on their Counter-Drone journey. Given our deep CUAS knowledge base, we are also moving forward in the establishment of our CUAS Centre of Excellence to better inform, train and support our growing key customer set.”
What is Counter-UAS (CUAS) and why it’s a growth market
Counter-UAS, or counter-drone technology, refers to systems designed to detect, track and neutralise uncrewed aerial threats. In plain terms, it identifies drones operating in an area and provides the means to respond to them.
Defence forces globally are prioritising this capability as drone use in modern conflict continues to rise. The ability to counter low-cost aerial threats has become a growing area of investment across military procurement programmes.
For investors, HighCom’s positioning across supply, integration, commissioning and support suggests potential for recurring, multi-service revenue rather than one-off hardware sales.
Recurring spares revenue has already begun to materialise from the ADF engagement, with a follow-on AUD$1.83 million spares order confirming that platform adoption generates sustainment income well beyond the initial hardware sale.
Investment takeaway and what comes next
Two regional defence wins in short succession, the A$8.9m ADF order and the NZ$1.96m NZDF contract, demonstrate a pattern of execution and growing credibility for HighCom’s CUAS offering.
Delivery of the NZDF contract is scheduled for FY27, providing a clear milestone for investors to watch. The proposed establishment of a CUAS Centre of Excellence stands as a further strategic marker of the company’s intent to scale its regional capability.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Contract value | NZ$1.96m (A$1.63m) |
| Customer | New Zealand Defence Force |
| Product | MyDefence counter-drone system |
| Delivery | FY27 |
| Contracting entity | HighCom Technology Pty Ltd |
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