British defence group Babcock International and Estonia’s Frankenburg Technologies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on the development of a new, low-cost counter-drone air-defence system, aimed at responding to the rapidly growing threat from one-way attack drones and other unmanned systems.

Containerised launcher + “budget” interceptors

According to Babcock, the partnership is expected to deliver a containerised launch platform designed to fire Frankenburg’s new low-cost missiles. The concept is to provide a solution that can be deployed quickly and scaled up—particularly relevant for defending forces and critical infrastructure, including maritime targets.

In their messaging, the companies stress scalability and practicality: the point is to have an interceptor that is economically viable against mass, low-cost drone attacks—an increasingly urgent challenge for NATO members and partners.

Frankenburg’s approach: Mark 1 and mass production logic

Industry reporting around Frankenburg highlights a compact interceptor often referred to as Mark 1—a missile built with mass production in mind and based on commercial off-the-shelf components, with the ambition of shortening development cycles and lowering costs. The broader idea is straightforward: if the threat is cheap and numerous, the defence must be affordable and available in large quantities.

The Polish angle: earlier MoU with PGZ and the “anti-drone wall” concept

The “Polish accent” comes from the fact that in November 2025, Frankenburg signed a similar cooperation agreement with Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ). That initiative was described as supporting the creation of an “anti-drone wall” on NATO’s eastern flank and integrating Frankenburg’s missile systems with PGZ-built platforms—with public mentions of building production capacity that could reach around 10,000 interceptors per year.

Why Babcock—and why this matters

Babcock brings expertise in naval platforms and weapons integration, which is crucial if the system is to protect ships, ports, and maritime infrastructure. The company also has an established footprint in Poland’s naval modernisation ecosystem—being involved in cooperation linked to the Miecznik frigate programme.