Babcock has been awarded the contract to deliver, install and provide in-service support for Ardent Wolf, the maritime Communications Electronic Support Measures (CESM) capability for the UK Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates.

Babcock said: “The six-year programme draws upon our people’s unique knowledge of CESM and Babcock’s role as the Royal Navy’s principal support partner for the Type 23 fleet”.

The contract will involve equipment installation, repair and maintenance, system and design safety, contractor logistics support, training, and all updates.

“Babcock’s agile solution establishes a framework that can be applied to current, and future platforms, with the aim of providing increased safety for Royal Navy crews.”

The new system replaces the outgoing Hammerhead, which Babcock has been supporting for the past six years and will help to ensure a low-risk transition.

Dr Richard Drake, Chief Technology Officer at Babcock, said:

“Babcock has a rich history of delivering specialist Communications support to the Royal Navy’s fleet and we are delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver Ardent Wolf. Ardent Wolf will significantly enhance the Royal Navy’s CESM capability, and we’re proud to be delivering a robust, UK-developed solution which will act as a pathfinder for future Signal Intelligence programmes.”

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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7 COMMENTS

  1. I’m still hazy on some of these intelligence terms.

    Is CESM the collection, processing and analysis of communications intelligence (by analogy to ESM and SIGINT)?

    • Yes, it’s not clear what the thing actually does. Sounds a bit like it could simply be a secure(hopefully) way of communicating between other ships & shore etc?

      • I’m pretty sure it’s to do with the interception of enemy communications, but I don’t understand the relationship between COMINT and CESM.

        If my first guess is wrong, it could be a division of intention as what to do with the interception, whether to understand it (COMINT) or attack it (CESM). I’m hoping someone here will be kind enough to disentangle the terminology.

    • There’s a queue… get in line!

      I understood every individual word, but, am totally clueless as to what it all meant.

      • Believe so Daniele.

        Jon think you’re right, CESM is effectively COMINT approach at the tactical level as opposed to strategic.

  2. I’ve always loved the appearance of the T23 design but they really are looking a bit dated these days. Roll on the T26, T31 and T32s!

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