ARCANI’s HARK Acoustic Sensor Featured on General Dynamics Land Systems–Canada’s Grizzly LAV Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) Platform to Enhance Counter-Drone Situational Awareness
[CANSEC, Ottawa] — [14 July 2026] — Arcani Systems today announced that its HARK acoustic sensing system was featured on the recently unveiled Grizzly LAV Self-Propelled Howitzer vehicle, showcasing a passive 360-degree situational awareness layer designed to detect and alert crews to incoming drone threats.
The Grizzly LAV Self-Propelled Howitzer, unveiled by General Dynamics Land Systems–Canada at CANSEC 2026 for the Canadian Army’s Indirect Fires Modernization project, combines a Canadian designed LAV armoured combat vehicle platform with KNDS automated 155mm Artillery Gun Module. The platform has been presented as a highly mobile, survivable artillery system designed for fire-on-the-move operations across contested battlefield environments.
Arcani’s HARK sensor is designed to address one of the most urgent battlefield challenges facing armoured and artillery units: the proliferation of small unmanned aerial systems, including FPV drones, reconnaissance drones, and other low-signature aerial threats. Using acoustic sensing, HARK listens passively for the distinctive sound signatures of drones and provides early warning without emitting radio frequency energy.
Unlike active sensors, HARK does not rely on radar emissions or RF detection. This allows it to contribute to vehicle protection even when hostile drones are operating autonomously, flying pre-programmed routes, or using low-emission tactics. The system is designed to provide 360-degree awareness around the vehicle, supporting crew survivability, tactical decision-making, and integration with wider battlefield command-and-control systems.
“Modern artillery platforms are no longer threatened only by counter fire,” said Harry Howe, Founder and CEO of ARCANI. “They must also survive in an environment saturated with small drones that can locate, track, and strike high-value assets. HARK gives crews an additional passive layer of awareness, helping them detect drone threats earlier and maintain mobility in contested environments.”
This capability demonstrates how compact acoustic sensing can complement existing vehicle protection, electronic warfare, and battlefield management systems. For self-propelled artillery platforms such as the Grizzly LAV, which are designed to fire, move, and reposition rapidly, passive counter-drone awareness can help reduce exposure time and support survivability during manoeuvre.
HARK has been developed as a lightweight, modular sensor package for defence applications across land, maritime, and fixed-site environments. The system is designed to detect, classify, and report drone activity, helping operators understand the exact position and nature of nearby aerial threats before visual contact is made.
ARCANI believes that passive acoustic sensing will become an essential part of layered counter-UAS defence. As drones become smaller, cheaper, and more autonomous, platforms operating close to the front line will require sensor systems that can detect threats without revealing their own position.
About ARCANI
ARCANI is a UK defence technology company, and a NATO DIANA innovator developing passive sensing and counter-drone situational awareness systems for military, security, and critical infrastructure applications. Its HARK sensor (Hostile Acoustic Recognition Kit) uses acoustic sensing to detect and classify drone threats, providing operators with early warning and omnidirectional situational awareness in complex operational environments.