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A Frankenburg Mark I missile undergoes a field test.
FARNBOROUGH—Estonian missile startup Frankenburg Technologies says it plans to use a BAE Systems warhead on its Mark I short-range air defense missile and will work with Roxel to provide motors for some of its products.
The company made the disclosure as the Farnborough Airshow wrapped up.
The Mark I interceptor will feature the BlackThorn multimode warhead that BAE Systems unveiled during the industry gathering outside London. The two earlier this year said they were exploring warhead options.
The agreement comes as the UK gets ready to ramp up spending on counter-drone and other technologies.
Frankenburg said it selected the BlackThorn warhead for being able to provide the required performance "in a compact form," while lauding its "suitability for rapid, cost-efficient mass-manufacturing."
The Mark I is only 0.64 m (2.1 ft.) long and weighs less than 2 kg (4.4 lb.).
The propulsion agreement with Roxel UK is set to run for five years and explore design, development, integration and production of motors for current Frankenburg designs and future systems, the company said. Initial work will look at existing motors the MBDA-affiliate makes and assess whether they need to be adapted for Frankenburg products.
"Working with established UK defense industry partners BAE Systems and Roxel UK helps us deliver affordable missile defense for the UK and its allies quickly, at scale and at a price point that enables mass deployment," says Daniel Hallett, who runs the startup's UK operations.
Frankenburg said the technologies are well suited to its FieldFoundry production system that aims to produce large volumes quickly to address European demand for greater inventory depth.
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