Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide

Defence

QinetiQ wins $170m US TARS contract

QinetiQ Group plc has won a five-year $170 million contract with the US Department of Homeland Security for the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS).

Image courtesy QinetiQ

TARS is the largest new business competitive win for Avantus since our acquisition last year and builds on recent significant contract awards, reported in our Interim Results last week.

This win takes the total new contract awards this year for Avantus to $827 million, equivalent to more than over two and a half years of revenue cover. These major contract wins deliver new incremental business, building momentum to deliver strong revenue growth in the second half of this year and beyond, underpinning our confidence that Avantus will deliver double-digit revenue growth at stable margin into the medium term.

Advertisement
ODU RT

Avantus has transformed our customer access in the US, expanding our customer base and creating a disruptive mid-tier business in the US. During the first half of the year, we have also identified new business opportunities worth an additional $1.5bn over the next five years, created through the combination of capabilities across the US and our other markets to drive our future growth plan.

TARS provides detection, tracking and monitoring capabilities in diverse environments at and beyond the US borders. Under this five-year contract, QinetiQ will deliver aerostat operations, air-surface radar operations, ground control and data networking systems monitoring, and data analysis in support of border security and air sovereignty missions. The programme will be delivered through the provision of mission support, operations and maintenance, and lifecycle and programme management.

Steve Wadey, Group Chief Executive Officer of QinetiQ, said: “Winning TARS is another significant and exciting milestone in the US – a clear demonstration of Avantus delivering growth. TARS is an integral part of our customer’s mission to protect the US border and a critical capability to US national security. This win further reinforces our growth plan for Avantus and our wider business in the US.”
 

 

Advertisement
ODU RT

 

 

Advertisement
FIA2026 animated banner
HMS Active completes float off feat

Defence Events

HMS Active completes float off feat

30 March 2026

Building on the momentum of February's dual milestone event at Babcock’s Rosyth site, the Type 31 frigate programme has reached another significant stage, with HMS Active completing the float-off process.

Lockheed Martin joins MTC as Tier 1 member

Defence

Lockheed Martin joins MTC as Tier 1 member

30 March 2026

Lockheed Martin has joined the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) as a Tier 1 member which will see it collaborate on core research, capabilities and investments and play a key role in managing projects that address some of the pressing challenges being faced by defence industry supply chains.

RFA Lyme Bay gets mine hunting tech upgrade

Defence

RFA Lyme Bay gets mine hunting tech upgrade

30 March 2026

The Royal Navy is stepping up its mine hunting capabilities with new cutting-edge uncrewed equipment being added to RFA Lyme Bay in the coming days.

British Army retire Land Rover fleet

Defence

British Army retire Land Rover fleet

30 March 2026

British soldiers will use a new fleet of thousands of modern vehicles, following the start of the retirement of the iconic Land Rover fleet earlier this month, after 70 years of service.

Advertisement
ODU RT
James Heappey joins NAD Board

Defence

James Heappey joins NAD Board

30 March 2026

Former British Minister of State for the Armed Forces from 2020 to 2024 The Rt Hon Major James Heappey has joined the board of Swedish defence tech startup Nordic Air Defence (NAD), developers of the K100XR drone interceptor for civilian and military use.

BAE Systems partners with Scale AI on agentic AI for defence

Defence

BAE Systems partners with Scale AI on agentic AI for defence

27 March 2026

BAE Systems and Scale AI have announced a strategic relationship agreement to accelerate the development and fielding of advanced artificial intelligence capabilities in support of the US Department of War’s (DoW) high-stakes mission environments and operational platforms.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Advertisement
Gulfstream banner