Babcock has added seven technology and defense companies to its ARMOR Force Framework, expanding an industry partnership to integrate crewed, lean-crewed, and uncrewed systems into a common naval operating environment.
The new partners are CUBEDIN, Exail, Hensoldt, Kraken Technology Group, SH Defence, Stormborn and Thales. They bring expertise in autonomous platforms, sensors, payloads, communications and mission systems.
ARMOR Force (Autonomous and Remote Maritime Operational Response – Force) is an open-architecture framework designed to combine different types of crewed and uncrewed maritime platforms and their associated systems. It is based on a commanded-autonomy approach, in which human operators retain operational authority and decision-making responsibility.
Babcock said the framework is intended to provide navies with an integrated route to adopting autonomous capabilities, with the company acting as the systems integrator and taking responsibility for bringing together platforms, software, payloads and support services.
The new additions join previously announced partners HII and Arondite. Their ongoing work focuses on Cobalt, Arondite's mission orchestration platform, which is intended to coordinate the technologies and systems deployed on ARMOR Force vessels.
According to Babcock, the framework uses a modular architecture that allows additional partners and technologies to be incorporated as capabilities develop and naval requirements change.
The company also plans to use its UK facilities and engineering capabilities, including those at Rosyth and Devonport, to support development, integration, simulation, testing and through-life support.
Babcock said the framework is intended to provide a pathway from technology development to operational deployment, with services covering integration, certification, testing, training and support.