QinetiQ US Awarded $4.2 Billion U.S. Army Contract for Advanced Aerostat Surveillance and Persistent ISR Solutions
The U.S. Army granted QinetiQ US a prime position on a $4.2 billion Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) under the Product Director Aerostats program on April 14, 2025. Under this 10-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract QinetiQ US will deliver essential support for developing and deploying tethered aerostat surveillance platforms. The critical system integration services and hardware procurement as well as engineering support together with logistics control and operational activities and program management and support will strengthen the Army’s persistent surveillance capabilities through QinetiQ US. The PD Aerostats MATOC handles three main priority programs which include the Persistent Surveillance System – Tethered (PSS-T) as well as the Persistent Surveillance Dissemination System of Systems (PSDS2) alongside efforts to create future elevated sensing technologies. The Army maintains these initiatives as core parts of its extended plan to boost situational awareness and develop multi-domain intelligence capabilities and protect security in highly challenging operational areas.
QinetiQ US maintains sole contractor status due to its capability of running strategic and tactical-type aerostat systems at multiple sites to execute critical missions for U.S. border security along with overseas defense operations. The aerostat platforms employed by the company operate at 15,000 feet altitude to provide persistent wide-area surveillance through EO/IR and hyperspectral sensors and multi-modelling detection technologies for 30-day continuous operations.
The operating cost for flight hours using these surveillance assets remains substantially lower than with regular airborne surveillance assets. QinetiQ US achieves mission excellence by combining its Secure Persistent & Aware Data Ecosystem (SPADE) proprietary system with intelligent sensing algorithms and integrated sensor processing features alongside comprehensive lifecycle operations management. The system provides end-to-end data protection along with real-time intelligence processing and operational efficiency leading to decision-making intelligence that gives leadership a decisive information advantage.
The Persistent Surveillance System – Tethered (PSS-T) stands as the key foundation of Army Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) strategy development. The system features two aerostat classifications: strategic large vehicles for extensive surveillance along with tactical smaller systems built for base defense and convoy protection tasks and counter-IED operations and border surveillance. The PSDS2 program creates an integrated ISR feed system which generates real-time situational intelligence that military units and command structures can share with their coalition partners. The U.S. Army extensively uses aerostat-based ISR platforms because they provide exceptional value in circumstances when the deployment of aircraft or drones alongside satellites becomes impractical due to high costs or limited time in flight or coverage area. Aerostats deliver persistent surveillance solutions to the U.S. Army thanks to their capability to stay in one position over long durations without needing fuel.
“Our integrated sensor and aerostat solutions deliver effective and affordable multi-domain awareness to meet the evolving threats of today’s defense and security environment,” said Jonathan Riksen, Executive Vice President and General Manager of QinetiQ US’s National & Global Security Solutions. “By combining advanced sensor technologies with our persistent surveillance platforms, we provide decision-makers with actionable intelligence and a decisive information advantage.”
The rapid evolution of global security threats motivates the Army to invest through MATOC awards which demonstrate its commitment to ISR modernization and achieve JADC2 objectives. Proof of expertise in sensor systems development and operations combined with system integration capability positions QinetiQ US as a reliable defense partner strengthening its ability to provide solution-ready scalable support to US Forces alongside their allies.