Babcock has announced that seven leading technology and defence partners have joined its ARMOR Force (Autonomous and Remote Maritime Operational Response – Force) Framework, creating the first end-to-end ecosystem designed to deliver coherent Hybrid Navy capability at scale.
The new partners, CUBEDIN, Exail, Hensoldt, Kraken Technology Group, SH Defence, Stormborn and Thales, bring together complementary expertise spanning autonomous platforms, sensors, payloads, communications and mission systems. Working through the ARMOR Force Framework, these capabilities are integrated into a single operational construct, providing navies with a trusted and accountable route to adopting Hybrid Navy capability.
As partners under the new framework join, work between Babcock, HII and Arondite, announced previously, continues at pace around Cobalt, Arondite’s mission orchestration platform that will cohere the ecosystem of technologies and systems on ARMOR Force vessels.
The new framework marks a significant milestone for ARMOR Force, our open-architecture ecosystem that combines crewed, lean-crewed and uncrewed systems within a common operating environment. Designed around commanded autonomy, ARMOR Force enables navies to rapidly field adaptable and scalable capability while maintaining human oversight and decision-making authority.
Rather than requiring customers to source and integrate individual technologies themselves, ARMOR Force provides a single point of accountability. As systems integrator, we bring together platforms, payloads, software and support services into one coherent capability, underpinned by common standards, assured integration and through-life support.
Drawing on decades of experience designing, building, integrating and supporting complex naval capabilities for customers around the world, we’re uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between emerging technology and deployment. Through ARMOR Force, customers gain access not only to innovative technologies but also to the assurance, certification, testing, training and support required to safely introduce them into service.
Sir Nick Hine, Chief Growth Officer and Chief Executive – Marine, Babcock said: “The future Hybrid Navy will not be built from individual technologies operating in isolation. Success depends on bringing together platforms, systems, data and people into a coherent operational capability.
“ARMOR Force does exactly that. By establishing this framework and bringing together world-leading partners, we are creating an ecosystem that enables navies to adopt autonomous capability with confidence. Babcock acts as the integrator and accountable delivery partner, ensuring customers receive a proven, deployable capability rather than a collection of promising technologies.
“Our approach is founded on commanded autonomy. People remain firmly responsible for operational intent, authority and accountability, while technology extends reach, resilience and operational advantage. ARMOR Force gives customers the flexibility to evolve capability at pace while avoiding dependency on any single platform, supplier or technology roadmap.”
The ARMOR Force Framework has been designed to grow as technologies mature and customer requirements evolve. New partners and capabilities can be incorporated through ARMOR Force’s open and modular architecture, powered by Arondite Cobalt, preserving customer choice while accelerating innovation.
Our facilities and engineering expertise across the UK, including Rosyth and Devonport, will support capability development, integration, simulation, testing and through-life support. This enables ARMOR Force to move beyond concept development and provide customers with a practical and scalable pathway to operational Hybrid Navy capability.