UK Invests $48.5M in Digital Protection Against Remote-Controlled Bombs
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded Leonardo more than 40 million pounds ($48.5 million) to equip the country’s armed forces with digital protection against remotely-triggered bombs.
The equipment — available in vehicle-mounted and portable versions — scans airwaves for remote-control signals and blocks them from triggering an explosive device through “advanced new digital techniques.”
Delivery of the equipment will begin in Autumn 2024, and deployment by the British Army’s 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Search Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps is scheduled for 2025.
MoD Electronic Counter Measure Efforts
The contract is the first under the MoD’s Land Cyber and ElectroMagnetic Architecture, “which has been developed to specifically meet the requirements for Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) applications.”
The system’s open architecture design ensures future hardware and software upgrades.
“This is the underpinning element for future ECM programmes and aligns with defence policy on designing systems with open architectures, to enable flexible deployment, upgrade and ‘evergreening’ of both hardware and software capabilities over the life of the system,” Leonardo stated.
The equipment will be manufactured by a consortium of UK-based small and medium-sized companies, led by Leonardo.
The contract covers in-service support services for two years, with an extension option.
