Defence’s Project REDWING electronic warfare program has awarded a contract for 15,000 more SILVERSHIELD counter remote control improvised explosive device (RCIED) kits for the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).

The SILVERSHIELD device is fitted to a vehicle and provides electronic force protection against RCIEDs, and was developed by the Defence Science & Technology (DST) Group under the wider REDWING program. The units is comprised of a laptop-sized box inside the vehicle and exterior mounted antennas, and some 224,000 units have been delivered to the ANDSF since 2015.

“The REDWING program is one of Australia’s largest contributions to the Afghan security forces through the Afghan National Army Trust Fund,” Defence Minister Senator Linda Reynolds said in a statement. “We are extremely proud to produce life-saving force protection systems for our Afghan partners to help address the evolving threat of improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan.”

The SILVERSHIELD units are manufactured by L3Harris subsidiary L3 Micreo in Brisbane from components manufactured by Axiom Precision Manufacturing in Adelaide, SRX Global in Melbourne, ZCG Scalar in Gippsland, and LINTEK in Queanbeyan.