The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) announced Mission Black Thorn (previously known as Problem Statement 1) in November 2023.

The Mission is focussed on the rapid development of technology to degrade integrated air and missile defence systems (IAMD) of potential adversaries.

It addresses the following problem statement: How might ASCA penetrate and degrade advanced integrated air defence systems so that Defence can conduct effective long-range strike operations, taking into account speed and scale required to operate in congested and contested environments that is faster than a potential adversary’s ability to react?

Milestones

In January 2025, ASCA entered into a 12-month contract with 2 companies, valued at $61.5 million (excluding GST) to further develop and demonstrate the capability.

The ability to degrade IAMD systems of potential adversaries at long ranges is a capability priority for the Australian Defence Force in line with the National Defence Strategy.

Background

The Request for Proposal opened on 30 November 2023 through AusTender – ASCA Mission Co-design and Delivery, and closed on 25 January 2024.

A virtual marketing briefing was open to industry and academia and occurred on 14 December 2023.