The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £2 million contract to Kirintec to fill an urgent capability requirement to provide counter-unmanned air system (C-UAS) radio frequency jammer equipment, training and support to the Royal Navy.

Kirintec is known for security and defence counter terrorism solutions in ECM, IED and EOD. They have a range of counter-UAS products that can be found here.

“Sky Net (Skynet) is our patented product to defeat drones and C-UAS. You may also know this as Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS), or refer to a drone as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). It doesn’t matter if it is one or a swarm of drones – Sky Net will defeat them. They don’t even have to be in sight, they can be around 9km away and Sky Net will deny them. We know our C-UAS Sky Net technology is one you will want to own, especially if you work in the military and government. You may be tasked with public/civilian safety and want to deploy Sky Net at events. There are so many uses for our world-class solution.”

The following detail of the system requirements comes from the original contract tender:

  • The C-UAS RF Jammer is expected to be able to defeat a detected threat from Small-Class 1 unmanned air-system’s utilising common frequency bands.
  • The C-UAS RF Jammer equipment will be deployed on maritime platforms.
  • It shall be stand-alone, requiring only a power supply as a dependency from the maritime platform on which it is installed.
  • The C-UAS RF Jammer shall be ‘person’ portable (max 1 individual), capable of being packaged onto NATO-standard pallets.
  • The system shall be capable of handling data and operating within an environment, classified at a minimum of official sensitive.

The contract covers an initial quantity of up to 11 C-UAS RF Jammers and includes the provision of 1 years in service support and spares, to commence at the point of delivery and acceptance.

An overall train the trainer package shall be included on the contract, covering operation and maintenance, etc. of the system. The contract shall also include options for additional RF Jammers and training and for a further 3, 1-year support periods.

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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17 COMMENTS

  1. SKYNET with orders to terminate
    Yes, I know..though I would get a rubbish one-liner in ;P

    So I take it all RN ships to get them?

    • Probably ships and Shore bases as well.
      In previous years the USN has had some issues with small Quad copters over flying its dry docked vessels and its bases.
      They have a number of counter measures now in place that are a bit more up to date and electronic based instead of the Shot Guns and Bird shot they started with!

    • “initial quantity of 11”

      You’d think HMNB’s and other shore installations would be the priority. I remember the fuss with these drones overflying Coulport and QE, both reported on UKDJ.

      • Well with all the issues with people flying drones over bases and into airports endangering jets i agree they need an urgent delivery.

        We need a decent amount bought and stop the usual dipping our toe in with a dozen or so.

        Anything like these to boost quick reaction to issues at home, on RN /RFA ships or overseas bases will be a big help.

      • 11 seems kinda low number, considering the number of bases / ships that could use the platform. Either its a trial to see how capable they are or its another cutting corners by sharing a small number around and hoping we never have a shooting war where all assets are needed.

      • Well there is the Oto 76 for a start with guided DART rounds.
        Besides RAM is a AIM-9 derivative, i don’t think it costs almost 1M
        Also depends on drone.
        Goalkeeper can’t go to much more than 2-3km ceiling. Phalanx should be even worse.
        This choice represents a crucial part of any anti aircraft defense today: short range weapons are in way out.

        • Goalkeeper can shoot and register a kill out to around 5km (Been there, done that!).
          The issue with RAM is its IR homing. A quadcopter or something equivalent to a PUMA drone is going to have little if any signature to home onto. RAM would be fine against a Cruise missile tanking in with a turbojet engine or rocket motor doing a few hundred MPH to a lot of Machs. The IR signature is going to be big because of the engine and surface heating.
          If you dont use electronic warfare to screw up the data links on a drone then It is going to go back to the equivalent of Flack to drop drones. Instead of WW2 type manually timed shells it will be computer programmed releasing tungsten pellets etc in the vicinity.

          • “Goalkeeper can shoot and register a kill out to around 5km (Been there, done that!).”

            At 5km the round drop round is to much for effective AA work for a 30mm gun. You can’t defy physics.

      • It could be worse. A Gulf nation last year used a 3 mil dollar patriot to drop a 1000 dollar quad copter drone. then again they can aford it…its only petrodallars….

  3. The company could have chosen a better name, the British Armed Forces will be operating a Satellite Communication System called Skynet, and a communication jammer called Skynet…..

  5. Terrible name !!!

    Banking on not fighting wars is one sure way of guarenteeing them & getting badly caught out when they do happen. Our very way of life is at threat by our head-in-the-sand mentality & inability to develop stuff on time & on budget.

  6. UKDJ 29th January – “Drone to give British patrol vessels ‘eyes in the sky”.
    UKDJ 30th January – “Contract awarded for drone jammers for Royal Navy ships”.
    You put ’em up, we’ll shoot ’em down! It’s like a fairground out there!

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