The Ministry of Defence has begun preliminary market engagement for a project aimed at developing a sovereign electronic fuze system for use across armed uncrewed platforms.
Known as Project OLCHAR, the effort will explore industry capability to develop a “safe by design” fuzing system incorporating an Electronic Safe and Arm Device (ESAD). The system is intended to provide a common safety and arming solution that can be integrated across multiple unmanned platforms.
According to the procurement notice, the Ministry of Defence intends for the design to be platform-agnostic and to retain full intellectual property rights over the system. This would allow the department to control future manufacturing, modification and integration across different systems.
The engagement process will include a request for information questionnaire and a supplier engagement session at Army Headquarters. Companies wishing to attend the session must register in advance, with attendance limited to two representatives per organisation.
The project has an estimated value of around £2 million and would run for approximately 11 months if formally awarded. Officials said the engagement exercise is intended to assess the maturity of potential solutions and identify possible approaches before any future procurement is launched.
Participation in the market engagement is voluntary and does not form part of a formal competition. The Ministry of Defence said any future procurement may be conducted through the Commercial X Dynamic Market framework.
