The Royal Navy is exploring the rapid procurement of a maritime counter-drone capability under a new pre-procurement initiative known as Project TALON, according to a Request for Information (RFI) published by the Ministry of Defence.
The notice, published on Contracts Finder, seeks industry input on systems capable of detecting, tracking, identifying and defeating uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) from maritime platforms. The project aims to deliver a rapidly deployable capability that can be installed on Royal Navy vessels with minimal integration.
The RFI states that the Navy requires “a rapidly procured and installable Counter UAS capability suitable for maritime platforms to detect, track, identify, and defeat airborne threats.” Systems are expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and be deployable aboard crewed vessels with minimal changes to existing ship systems. The ministry is seeking solutions that can be fielded quickly, with a focus on mature technologies that can be delivered at pace.
According to the document, the initiative is designed to move faster than traditional defence procurement. The Ministry of Defence says the intention is to conduct a rapid market survey and, if suitable systems are identified, move quickly to contracting and delivery. The RFI notes that “Project TALON is focused on mature products, requiring no/minimal integration and with providers that are able to work at pace,” with the ambition of contracting and delivering an initial capability within roughly a month if a viable solution is identified.
Project TALON is intended to provide both kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities to counter the growing threat from uncrewed aerial systems. The ministry says the programme “will deliver kinetic and/or non-kinetic effectors and sensors to allow a scalable capability to RN units,” while also introducing a broader system-of-systems approach using multiple lower-cost effectors. The aim is to provide flexible mission configurations that can complement more complex missile systems in a rapidly evolving threat environment.
The RFI highlights the increasing challenge posed by the proliferation of drones and the need for scalable responses. It states that the authority requires “a mix of effectors both kinetic and non-kinetic to counter a mass of threats from the proliferation of uncrewed air systems (UAS) to complement current Complex Missile Systems.” Solutions must be able to defeat NATO Class 2 drones using either electronic or physical attack methods.
Operational requirements outlined in the document indicate that systems should protect a significant area around a host vessel. The defended area requirement ranges from around “100 km² (threshold) up to 2,500 km² (objective),” depending on the capability offered. The ministry also expects systems to handle large numbers of targets during an attack, stating that a platform should be capable of defeating “25 targets (threshold)… with the aspiration to defeat 100 targets (objective), before resupply.”
Because the capability is intended to be rapidly deployable with limited ship integration, the RFI suggests that systems should rely heavily on their own sensors and operate with a high level of autonomy. Solutions are expected to take initial cues from onboard sensors and minimise operator workload during engagements. This approach is intended to allow the capability to be deployed across multiple platforms with minimal modification.
Installation and sustainment requirements also make clear simplicity and speed. The equipment must be installed and certified quickly in order to maximise ship availability, and the ministry expects solutions to rely on common ship interfaces where possible. The RFI also specifies that systems should have minimal maintenance demands and must not significantly interfere with other shipboard activities such as flying operations.
For the purposes of assessment, the Ministry of Defence states that the minimum viable capability must demonstrate the ability to defeat drones from a crewed maritime platform operating at sea. As the RFI notes, “The Minimum Viable Product for assessment will be able to demonstrate effect against UAS from a crewed maritime platform underway at sea.”
Responses to the RFI are due by 17 March 2026.
Is the easy answer to improve the 30mm systems as per the recent NL article?
It wouldn’t harm.
It would not work.. look at the range thresholds.. essentially 100km2 min to 2500km2 objective.. that’s a 10km to 50km range band.. a 30mm cannon is a 2km range band.
thats a desired range of between 5k and 30k
25 rising to 100 targets being engaged in quick succession. Huge degree of autonomy and ability to differentiate between ‘friendly’ helo or drone sounds hugely expensive per ‘vehicle’. The ranges implied by the spec also suggests something with a lot of humph either from muzzle velocity or internal propulsion. It just all sounds expensive. The 3P ammunition that goes with the 57 mm and 40 mm guns sounded like a reasonable solution. Is this now inadequate given this specification? Any idea how many targets Dragon Fire can theoretically engage in a minute? Is the Type 31 already out of date? 😆 🤔
Gotta be gold plated, right.
It’s not a gun system they are looking at, the coverage is to large.. 100km2 to 2500km2 is essentially a 10km to 50km range band.. range bands for 57mm, even 76mm and Dart and dragonfly are sub 10km…
Unmanned Seaborne system proving to be just as deadly, at least one oil tanker has been hit by an Iranian uncrewed surface vessel.
Sounds like something like ASELSAN Smash 30mm with organic EO sight + some sort of friend or foe target image AI.
Sounds like a Remote 30mm and Dragonfire combo really… Plus a smattering of remote 50 Cals MGs and maybe a smarter flak ammunition for the Deck Gun.
Bofors 40mm Mod 4 mounts
Read the NL article, not much advantage of 40mm over 30mm.
3P ammunition makes a difference. And it’s about 1/3 less maintenance
Only four years late – so far. That’s good for MoD procurement.
Good to see it getting addressed, wise move. Rapid fire with airburst and other smart ammo would be needed though no idea what form it might take. Though glad see the problem being delt with and sooner rather than later. and RFA ships should get it as well as escort i doubt can stop UCAS/Drones getting to them, Fit the same system to the RAF base in Cyprus or some thing similar may be?.
World war 2 vintage light anti aircraft weapons would suffice, just with a modern aiming system. If we want sustainability and affordability gun options are way to go, we don’t need a gold plated solution!
As far back as 2011 a five tube Thales LMM system was fitted experimentally to RN 30mm mounts aboard the frigate HMS Sutherland – an apparently inexpensive way of augmenting firepower that was not taken up at the time. I wonder if that decision is being reconsidered?
LMM doesn’t have huge range and reloads cost and it will never have 25 shots unless there is some kind of revolving cassette system.
The 40mm 3P would be a better solution as that has 100 rounds and at maybe 4 rounds per target sounds about right. The range doesn’t make a lot of sense unless 57mm 3P was the proposal.
Even the 57mm does not really cover it… 100km2 to 2500km2 is essentially 10-50km range band…I suspect they are look for anti drone drones.
I agree that it is anti drone killer drones.
IRL how do you launch those from an AAW destroyer without integration into the AAW system otherwise your systems shoot them down….
They’re flying away from the ship, would be pretty easy to filter out surely? Would be a very clever enemy missile that exploits that loophole.
Oh that’s funny, of all the times to make that announcement I am thinking now was probably not the best. Even if we get this stuff onto a ship, will the ship be capable of deploying?
“100 km² (threshold) up to 2,500 km² (objective), and to o defeat 100 targets. No doubt another project that will be canned when they don’t want to pay the price.
Well said sir, although I do this time sense panic going through the halls of the MOD. Not just multiple drones they fear but multiple chickens coming home to roost.
So looking at the specs this is not a gun system.. 100km2 to 2500km2 is in the 10-50km range band ( short to medium range AAW missile)…. Assuming it’s not just stick more CAMMs on our ships ( essentially the spec could be covered by pile on CAMMs), it means they are looking at something completely different..
The none kinetic bit could be High Power Microwave (HPM) devices or Cyber takeover, or cyber takedown.
The kinetic bit could be an anti drone drone like Falconet… 30Km range.. fires 9 40mm shotgun grenades…. The anti drone drone is probably pretty easy.. after all you could just fling the buggers off your flighdeck en mass…
We have nothing that can do this at the moment. CA Skyhammer is 30km range and I think would be suited, but there isn’t an interceptor drone out there that does 50km, that’s basically a manoeuvring cruise missile.