Frankenburg Technologies is teaming up with BAE Systems and Roxel UK to develop key technologies for its Mark I air defense missile.
The Estonian company announced partnerships with the two UK defense firms to support development and production of the missile, expanding the country’s domestic missile supply chain as demand grows for affordable air defense systems.
The agreements cover two of the most critical missile subsystems: warheads and rocket motors.
Roxel UK, under a five-year strategic cooperation agreement, will contribute expertise in solid rocket motor design, manufacturing, testing, and integration from its Summerfield facility in Worcestershire.
Meanwhile, BAE Systems will provide capabilities in warhead design, energetic materials, fuzing, and large-scale munitions manufacturing.
“Working with established UK defense industry partners BAE Systems and Roxel UK helps us deliver affordable missile defense for the UK and its allies quickly, at scale and at a price point that enables mass deployment,” Daniel Hallett, UK Managing Director at Frankenburg Technologies, said.
The firm announced a memorandum of understanding with BAE Systems in February to develop a warhead solution for its Mark I missile. Earlier this month, BAE publicly unveiled the result of that collaboration, BlackThorn, which was selected for its compact size, high performance, and suitability for rapid, high-volume production.
The Mark I missile is designed to counter Group 1 to 3 drones while reducing interception costs by more than 10 times compared with conventional short-range interceptors.
UK Missile Partnerships Continue to Expand
Frankenburg’s agreements add to a series of recent collaborations aimed at strengthening Britain’s missile industry and expanding production capacity.
In July, it joined the US Army’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) program, committing 190 million pounds ($254 million) to acquire the long-range ballistic missile as part of its Defence Investment Plan. The move also strengthens the AUKUS partnership, as the PrSM is jointly developed by the US and Australia.
Earlier, in April, the UK and France signed a memorandum of understanding to study a successor to the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. The year-long effort will examine next-generation missile concepts, identify key technologies, and develop a roadmap for a future weapon designed to address evolving air combat threats.
