Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • Rockwood Composites secures Babcock Eurofighter decoy launch system contract

Defence

Rockwood Composites secures Babcock Eurofighter decoy launch system contract

Rockwood Composites has today secured an order for parts for 130 decoy launch systems for Babcock International’s Eurofighter towed decoy programme.

Above: The contract is to supply parts for the towed decoy launch structure which is to be installed on the Eurofighter.
Courtesy Rockwood Composites

The contract is to supply parts for the towed decoy launch structure which is to be installed on the Eurofighter.

This was secured on the basis of development work undertaken by Rockwood which established that these parts, which had previously been manufactured using a filament winding process, could be made using Rockwood’s bladder moulding technology.
 
By doing so, significant quality & cost advantages were gained while maintaining the strength, stiffness, physical size and electromagnetic performance of the existing filament wound parts.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT

To achieve this required significant technical expertise in many areas, so Rockwood:
•    Ensured that the materials used achieved the required structural parameters, which involved many hours of testing to achieve the correct balance between the number of layers of composite used and the angle of the fibres within the different layers;
•    Incrementally adjusted the tooling design according to the results of these tests to ensure that the correct strength, stiffness and size requirements were achieved;
•    Managed the manufacturing process, which involved external bladder moulding on a polished mandrel, to ensure that the structural requirements of the parts were met consistently.

Following the supply of prototype parts which more than met the required parameters, Babcock have now placed a production order.

Gam Mahil, Babcock Buyer for Defence Systems Technology, Marine & Technology said: “This was a technical challenge and Rockwood Composites met this challenge, delivering in terms of quality and cost. The parts are an integral part of our Eurofighter production programme which is progressing full steam ahead.”

Managing Director of Rockwood Composites, Mark Crouchen, said: “When Babcock threw down the gauntlet, it was fantastic to be able to deliver the efficiencies required and to provide a more cost-effective solution with greatly improved quality which meets the exact requirements laid out by Babcock.”

Advertisement
Teledyne

Rockwood has been supplying a wide range of sectors, including aerospace, defence and nuclear for more than 25 years with a proven track record of delivering complex structures.

Mark Crouchen said: “The Rockwood technical and development team has gained expert knowledge and experience in the field of composite materials and manufacturing processes over many years of designing, developing and manufacturing composite components for a wide range of highly specialised applications.”


 

Lane Electronics to showcase defence connectivity at MSPO

Aerospace Defence Events

Lane Electronics to showcase defence connectivity at MSPO

11 July 2025

Lane Electronics, a franchised distributor for many of the industry’s major electrical, electronic and optical connector manufacturers, will be Exhibiting at MSPO 2025 (2nd–5th September 2025, Kielce, Poland), where they will be displaying the latest connector innovations and demonstrating their UK based assembling and value add services.

Flitetec secures two distribution agreements

Aerospace Defence Events

Flitetec secures two distribution agreements

11 July 2025

Amersham based aerospace business Flitetec, has confirmed two major deals that it shook on at the recent Paris Air Show.

GKN Aerospace secures Typhoon transparencies contract

Defence

GKN Aerospace secures Typhoon transparencies contract

10 July 2025

GKN Aerospace has signed a six-year follow-on contract with BAE Systems for continued manufacture of Eurofighter Typhoon transparencies at its Luton facility, through to the end of 2030.

Metis to supply Skyperion to NATO ally

Defence Security

Metis to supply Skyperion to NATO ally

10 July 2025

Metis has won a contract to supply a number of Skyperion drone detection systems to a NATO customer to provide the drone detect function as part of an integrated Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (C-UAS) capability.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT
ALL.SPACE unveils Hydra MAX

Defence Space

ALL.SPACE unveils Hydra MAX

10 July 2025

ALL.SPACE has revealed a major advancement in mobile satellite communications with the successful demonstration of Hydra MAX - the first network independent terminal of its kind to deliver ultra wideband communications to multiple satellites simultaneously.

BAE Systems assessed

Defence

BAE Systems assessed 'Awardable' for US DoD work in P1 Solutions Marketplace

9 July 2025

BAE Systems in collaboration with Defense Unicorns, have announced that their joint solution has achieved 'Awardable' status for US Department of Defense (DoD) work through the US Platform One (P1) Solutions Marketplace.

Advertisement
Teledyne