Royal Navy races to arm ships against drone threat

Britain's Royal Navy is urgently seeking a ship-based counter-drone system and recent world events likely explain why.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) from industry, to gather details and refine requirements ahead of a potential tender under the codename of Project TALON, as spotted by defense site UK Defence Journal.

The program is moving fast as the MoD wants responses by March 17, and if it goes ahead with the procurement, expects to issue a contract and take delivery of the initial capability within one month.

The RFI (Word document) calls for a "rapidly procured and installable Counter UAS (unmanned aircraft system) capability" that is "suitable for maritime platforms to detect, track, identify, and defeat airborne threats."

Project TALON will combine a mix of "effectors" both kinetic and non-kinetic to counter the threats posed by the proliferation of drones, and is intended to ...