Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • Airbus to provide Royal Navy's sat-based maritime surveillance

Defence Space

Airbus to provide Royal Navy's sat-based maritime surveillance

The UK Royal Navy has awarded a 12 month contract extension to Airbus covering the continued provision of satellite-based maritime surveillance services for the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC).

Above: HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth.
Copyright Airbus

The contract follows the successful completion of a proof of concept phase, and will ensure the continued monitoring of areas of interest in UK waters and ultimately protect UK sovereign borders from suspicious vessel activity. Using optical and radar imaging as well as AIS (Automatic Identification System) data, Airbus will provide reports about vessels within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone, as well as information that will help in the prevention of potential illegal activities.

Advertisement
Leonardo RT

JMSC, which is the UK government’s centre of excellence for maritime security, required a series of services that would provide intelligence to augment their own surveillance activities. Under the agreement, JMSC will benefit from a large range of Airbus’ surveillance and analytics capabilities.

The contract includes, Vessel Detection Reports using SAR data analysis, either delivered in emergency mode for urgently required satellite tasking to monitor suspicious vessels of interest across the globe, or on a twice daily basis for general vessel identification as well as the classification of ‘dark’ vessels in key areas of interest. In addition, the Defence Site Monitoring service, using automated algorithms applied to optical imagery, for the detection, recognition and identification of vessels will detail the evolution of port activity and raise alerts whenever abnormal activity occurs.

Advertisement
Leonardo RT

The Airbus surveillance services will give JMSC a greater understanding of the various activities across UK waters, especially with a focus on potentially uncooperative vessels, helping to better address security challenges and allowing resources to be rapidly deployed to intercept.
 

Advertisement
PTC PTC
Homes England acquires Ripon Barracks from MoD

Defence

Homes England acquires Ripon Barracks from MoD

7 July 2025

Homes England and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have agreed that land at Ripon Barracks, a military site scheduled for closure, will be developed into 1,300 new homes following a sale between the two public sector organisations.

Royal Navy establishes autonomous minesweeping capability

Defence

Royal Navy establishes autonomous minesweeping capability

4 July 2025

The Royal Navy has - for the first time - established an autonomous minesweeping capability, after new systems were delivered to help combat the rapidly evolving threat of naval mines.

Serco appoints Keith Williams as Chair

Aerospace Defence Security Space

Serco appoints Keith Williams as Chair

4 July 2025

Serco has appointed Keith Williams to the Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chair designate.

BAE Systems to continue developing AFRL

Defence

BAE Systems to continue developing AFRL's BATDOK

4 July 2025

The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has selected BAE Systems to continue development and support deployment of the Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Operations Kit (BATDOK) via the new Force Optimization through Rapid-prototyping, Gear Enhancements & Innovative Technology (FORGE-IT) programme.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT
Boeing appoints Stephen Parker as CEO of BDS

Defence Security Space

Boeing appoints Stephen Parker as CEO of BDS

3 July 2025

Boeing has appointed Stephen (Steve) Parker as president and chief executive officer of its Defense, Space & Security (BDS) business, effective immediately.

Lancashire aims at advancing cyber-enabled defence and security

Defence Security Events

Lancashire aims at advancing cyber-enabled defence and security

3 July 2025

Over 200 senior business leaders, investors, policymakers and academics from across the UK gathered this week at the Lancashire Cyber Festival to discuss Lancashire’s opportunity to become a global leader in cyber-enabled defence and security.

Advertisement
Teledyne