Babcock and Frankenburg Technologies team to develop maritime counter-drone system

Babcock International announced on 7 January 2026 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Estonia-headquartered Frankenburg Technologies to explore the development of a new and affordable maritime counter-drone system.

Under the MoU Babcock 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 required to protect military personnel and critical national infrastructure sites that 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, Babcock noted.

“Defence has entered a new era with the rapid development of drone warfare and industry needs to respond to this growing threat, Babcock CEO David Lockwood was quoted as saying in a company press release. “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.”

Frankenberg Technologies CEO Kusti Salm 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.”