Babcock has signed a memorandum of understanding with ACUA Ocean Technologies and Frankenburg Technologies to develop an integrated maritime counter-drone system, according to Babcock.
The partners plan to combine Babcock’s multi-domain launcher, Frankenburg’s low-cost precision-guided missiles and ACUA’s uncrewed surface vessels to counter mass attacks by low-cost uncrewed aerial systems.
The agreement expands a partnership formed by Babcock and Frankenburg in January to examine air-defence systems capable of responding to the increasing use of one-way attack drones.
Babcock said its launcher can be installed on both crewed and uncrewed surface vessels and produced and scaled rapidly.
ACUA’s Pioneer USV completed more than 100 hours at sea in June without hands-on intervention, operating continuously between 16 and 20 nautical miles offshore.
The companies intend to use ACUA’s Pioneer-class platform to keep counter-UAS systems and interchangeable payloads operating in high seas, where rough weather can restrict conventional platforms.
Babcock is a defence engineering and systems-integration company developing launcher technology for crewed and autonomous maritime platforms.
ACUA Ocean Technologies is a Plymouth-based marine technology company focused on uncrewed surface vessels, including its Pioneer-class platform.
Frankenburg Technologies is a missile technology company developing precision-guided systems intended for scalable production.