Frankenburg Technologies and Babcock International Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the development of a new and affordable air defence system in response to the increase of one-way attack drones.

As part of the MoU, Babcock, a world leader in designing and manufacturing maritime launch systems, will develop a cost-effective, containerised platform for launching Frankenburg’s new low-cost missiles, which it is manufacturing at pace, specifically to defend against one-way attack drones.

This joint capability will provide more affordable, scalable and kinetic solutions which are needed to be developed to protect military personnel and critical national infrastructure sites which could be exposed to attack across Europe.

With Frankenburg’s engineering function led from the UK, the relationship will provide both organisations with the opportunity to develop a new sovereign capability, creating skilled employment in the UK and providing Babcock and Frankenburg with global export opportunities.

David Lockwood, CEO of Babcock, said:

“Defence has entered a new era with the rapid development of drone warfare and industry needs to respond to this growing threat. We work with the brightest start-ups on defence’s most critical challenges, and we’re pleased to be working with Frankenburg Technologies on the development of an innovative maritime counter-drone air defence system.”

Kusti Salm, CEO of Frankenburg Technologies, added:

“Frankenburg Technologies’ mission is clear: to bring affordability and scale to modern air defence. The drone threat has changed the character of warfare, and every layer of defence now needs to be designed for mass and speed from the outset. Partnering with Babcock, a recognised leader in maritime defence, allows us to combine rapid innovation with proven naval and industrial expertise, accelerating the delivery of an operational maritime capability.”

About Babcock

Babcock is a FTSE 100 international defence company, operating in the UK, Australasia, Canada, France, and South Africa with exports to additional markets. We deliver complex support and product solutions to enhance our customers’ defence capabilities and critical assets. We are driven by our purpose: to create a safe and secure world, together.

About Frankenburg Technologies

Frankenburg Technologies is a European defence technology company building affordable, mass-manufacturable missile systems. The company operates across the United Kingdom and seven other European countries, with a third of its engineering team based in the UK.

Its flagship missile system, Mark I, is a compact precision-guided interceptor developed to counter low-flying unmanned aerial systems. Built from commercially available components and delivered from concept to live fire in just 13 months, Mark I reduces short-range intercept cost by more than 10–20×.

Frankenburg combines modular missile design with relocatable, industrialised production methods to enable sovereign supply chains and scalable local production in partner nations.