Exail and JFD join forces to support MCM capabilities in UK

April 21, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Exail and JFD Global have signed a Pre-bid agreement to explore a future collaboration that will include UK-based maintenance, training and support services, to establish a long-term industrial partnership supporting the evolution and sustainment of modern mine countermeasure (MCM) capabilities in the UK.

This future collaboration brings together Exail’s mature autonomous MCM systems and capability, already in service across several NATO navies, with JFD’s in-service support (ISS) capability assurance model.

The collaboration is built around a UK-anchored support and sustainment model. By combining proven technologies with local training, maintenance and through-life support, Exail and JFD aim to contribute to sustained readiness, resilience and availability of MCM forces.

“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,” Antony Penn, Chief Commercial Officer at Exail, said.

“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,” Richard Devlin, Defence Director at JFD, commented.

Through this Pre-bid agreement, Exail and JFD affirm their intent to explore a future collaboration focused on cooperation, industrial continuity and the long-term effectiveness of hybrid mine countermeasure operations.