Highcom Ltd Secures Border Protection Panel Place for Five Year Term
HighCom secures place on Australian Government Border Protection Technologies Panel
HighCom Limited (ASX: HCL) has advised that its wholly owned subsidiary, HighCom Technology Pty Ltd, has been selected for the Australian Government’s Border Protection Technologies Panel (BPTP). The appointment runs from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2031, a five-year term.
The selection complements HighCom Technology’s existing position on the Department of Defence Counter-small Uncrewed Aerial System (CUAS) Services Standing Offer Panel. Together, the two appointments strengthen the Company’s exposure to national security and frontline responder markets.
For investors, the outcome reinforces HighCom’s continued diversification and expansion as a technology integrator, broadening its footprint across Australian Government procurement channels.
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What the panel appointment means for HighCom
The BPTP is a prequalified list of suppliers for sourcing border protection technologies and related products and services. It provides a streamlined procurement pathway for government customers seeking these capabilities.
Selection positions HighCom Technology to participate in future procurement opportunities as they arise. Importantly, this is an opportunity to be considered for relevant government contracts, not a guaranteed contract or immediate revenue. No dollar value is attached to the BPTP selection itself.
Under the BPTP, HighCom Technology will act as a supplier of new technology solutions across the following areas:
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Uncrewed aerial systems (drones), including tethered drones
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Counter-drone detection systems
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Command and control solutions
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Ballistic protection solutions
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Associated specialist services
The appointment aligns with HighCom’s existing strategy and supports its ongoing transition into an integrated technology and protection provider.
Building on recent defence momentum
The BPTP selection follows the Company’s recent appointment to the Department of Defence Counter-small Uncrewed Aerial System (CUAS) Services Standing Offer Panel. It also comes after a separate $9.81m (incl GST) order for CUAS products and services, which the Company announced on 28 April.
That $9.81m order relates to the CUAS engagement and is distinct from the Border Protection Technologies Panel selection. The two should not be conflated: the panel appointment carries no attached dollar value, while the CUAS order was a prior, separate transaction.
The HighCom C-UAS defence contract, announced on 28 April and valued at A$9.81 million, was fulfilled in partnership with Danish firm MyDefence AS and represented the Company’s first major order in the counter-drone domain.
Both appointments reinforce the Company’s strategy to deliver integrated solutions that help protect first and frontline responders.
| Appointment | Body | Effective / Date | Scope | Strategic Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border Protection Technologies Panel | Australian Government | 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2031 | Border security, surveillance, counter-drone, protection | Streamlined procurement access |
| CUAS Services Standing Offer Panel | Dept of Defence | Announced Apr 2026 | C-sUAS services | Established defence footprint |
Understanding border protection technology and government panels
A government supplier panel is a prequalified list of vendors that public sector customers can engage directly. For suppliers, being on a panel reduces procurement friction: government buyers can approach listed companies without running a full open tender for every requirement.
Uncrewed aerial systems, commonly known as drones, are aircraft operated without an onboard pilot. Counter-drone technology (C-UAS) refers to systems designed to detect, track, and respond to unauthorised drones. Demand for both is rising as governments respond to evolving national security and border surveillance needs.
For investors, a panel position can convert into repeatable government revenue over time. The timing and scale of any such revenue depend on future procurement activity, and no revenue is guaranteed by the selection alone.
What HighCom brings to the table
HighCom Armor Solutions, Inc. is a US-based manufacturer of advanced ballistic armour systems for military, law enforcement, and security professionals worldwide. The division owns the proprietary XTclave™ lightweight armour manufacturing process.
HighCom Technology focuses on the integration of uncrewed aerial systems, counter-UAS solutions, and associated command and control systems. Working alongside its sister division, it supports the Company’s mission to protect first and frontline responders.
HighCom Technology’s President, Bede Galvin
“As a key technology integrator and provider of lightweight ballistics protection solutions, HighCom are delighted to support the Australian Government’s border protection with new and emerging technology capabilities across drones, tethered drones, command and control solutions, counter-drone systems and advanced ballistics protection solutions. Along with our network of partners, HighCom has now been appointed to both the Australian Government’s Border Protection Technologies Panel and the Department of Defence Counter-small Uncrewed Areial System (C-sUAS) Services Standing Offer Panels. HighCom remains focused on integrating technology to solve emerging problems that protect first and frontline responders.”
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The investment case and what comes next
The dual panel positions expand HighCom’s addressable government market and reinforce its transition into an integrated technology and protection provider. The BPTP selection, in particular, broadens the Company’s procurement access across border security applications.
HighCom technology division growth has been rapid, with the segment rising from 27% to 46% of group revenue between FY25 and the first half of FY26, a trajectory that frames the strategic significance of accumulating government panel positions across both defence and border protection.
HighCom Technology is now positioned to be considered for relevant government procurement opportunities across the five-year BPTP term, which runs to 30 June 2031. No revenue or contract is guaranteed from the panel selection itself.
The combined effect strengthens HighCom’s diversification and its exposure to national security and frontline responder markets, areas where demand for integrated technology and protection solutions continues to develop.
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