The U.S. Army has awarded a $65 million contract to SRC Inc. of Cicero to develop a system that can detect and defeat one of the newest threats on the battlefield — small, slow and low-flying drones.

SRC said it will immediately hire at least 50 engineers at its headquarters in Central New York as a result of the contract and other new business.

The company, the former Syracuse Research Corporation, also plans to hire an additional 300 employees nationwide over the next three years as a result of anticipated growth in several technology areas.

SRC has offices in five buildings in Central New York and across the nation, employing 1,100 people including 700 in the Syracuse area.

The Army selected SRC to develop and produce in Central New York up to 15 sets of counter-drone systems, which it considers an urgent operational need, according to the Pentagon.

The low-flying small drones, including off-the-shelf quadcopters and other recreational drones, are the hardest to detect and can evade radar.

SRC has focused on the evolving drone industry and its technology for its future growth. In 2014 the company established Gryphon Sensors, a wholly-owned subsidiary, to develop sensors that will allow drones to fly safely in civilian airspace.

Gryphon Sensors is trying to tap into what is expected to be a multibillion dollar market as demand surges for ways to detect, track and identify errant or hostile drones near airports and other infrastructure.

Now the Army is turning to SRC for similar solutions on the battlefield.

“We are proud to partner with the Army to provide critical technology that will defend against evolving threats like small drones,” said Paul Tremont, president and CEO of SRC. “This contract is a great example of the innovative solutions that our employees create.”

Source: Syracuse.com