French autonomous systems firm Exail and underwater capability specialist JFD have signed a pre-bid agreement to explore a long-term industrial partnership focused on maintaining and sustaining mine countermeasure capabilities for the Royal Navy, the companies announced on 21 April.
The partnership is built around a UK-anchored support and sustainment model, combining Exail’s autonomous MCM systems, which are already in service across several NATO navies, with JFD’s in-service support and through-life maintenance expertise, which the company has been providing to UK mine countermeasure forces for over two decades.
Antony Penn, Chief Commercial Officer at Exail, said: “By teaming with JFD, Exail is strengthening its long-term UK presence through a partnership built on shared excellence. JFD has a long history of providing the highest level of support for the UK’s MCM capabilities. Through this collaboration, we are enabling the Royal Navy to have a seamless integration of manned and unmanned support services ensuring sovereign resilience and operational availability required for the next generation of mine warfare”.
Richard Devlin, Defence Director at JFD, added: “This partnership reflects JFD’s commitment to delivering support, training and sustainment for critical underwater capabilities, ensuring operational readiness and resilience. For over 20 years JFD has provided equipment and support to the UK’s MCM teams at the highest level of operational readiness. We stand ready to support the next generation of hybrid forces through this partnership with Exail.”
The announcement comes as mine countermeasure capability has moved sharply up the agenda following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with the Royal Navy among the navies now being looked to for contribution to any reopening mission.
The agreement is specifically structured around UK-based maintenance, training and support services, with the two companies positioning the collaboration around the Royal Navy’s shift toward a hybrid force model integrating manned and unmanned systems, and the partnership intended to provide continuity of support as that transition takes place rather than starting from scratch with a new industrial relationship.
JFD, which is part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has been delivering support to UK mine countermeasure teams for over 20 years, while Exail brings autonomous MCM systems already proven in service across multiple NATO navies, and it is worth noting that this remains a pre-bid agreement rather than a confirmed contract, meaning the two companies are formalising their intent to collaborate on future bids rather than announcing a deal that has already been awarded.
oh cool and another service contract thing,