01 apr. 2024 - Af Philip Butterworth-Hayes

SEA awarded UKP135 million contract to equip Royal Navy with drone/missile decoy systems

The UK’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) has awarded a UKP135 million via to Systems Engineering & Assessment (SEA), partnered with Chess Dynamics and Frazer-Nash Consultancy (FNC), to equip the Royal Navy with new decoy launchers to counter missile and drone threats.

“Following the signing of the new contract, Trainable Decoy Launcher technology will increase the protection of Royal Navy ships and sailors, further strengthening the Navy’s ability to defend Britain’s interests across the world, including the Red Sea,” according to a UK government press release. “It comes as new missile and drone technology creates greater threats to the UK’s fleet and the latest decoy launchers will help counter this, providing optimised manoeuvrability that provides the capability to defend warships without the need to alter course.

“The innovative new system, which uses high-end technology, will be manufactured in Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd (SEA) site in North Devon and Chess’s facilities in Sussex, sustaining up to 150 jobs to help grow the economy. Both SEA and Chess are part of the UK-based Cohort plc group.”

The contract for the Trainable Decoy Launcher will see Type 26 and Type 31 frigates and Type 45 destroyers fitted with a new trainable countermeasure launcher system.

“Trainable Decoy Launchers use an improved decoy launcher technology and enables a decoy to be rapidly deployed against modern missile threats, without the need to manoeuvre the vessel itself. The launcher fires a range of countermeasures, which includes chaff, flares and ‘corner reflector’ rounds to target hostile missiles.”

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