Leonardo-led Team to Digitally Protect British Bomb Disposal Troops

Leonardo and its team won a contract worth over £40 million to equip British Army personnel with digital protection against remotely-triggered bombs.

The technology will be deployed when Army specialists respond to civil emergencies around the UK in support of the police and other civil authorities.

The new equipment works by scanning the airwaves for remote control signals that are attempting to detonate an explosive device and jamming these transmissions using advanced new digital techniques, Leonardo said in a release.

The contract was placed by the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation on behalf of the Army. Leonardo’s team includes innovative UK SMEs CommsAudit, Elma Electronic, Kirintec and Waymont Consulting, as well as defence experts Marshall Land Systems and training specialist EWS.

First deliveries of the new equipment, which includes vehicle-mounted and portable modules, will take place from Autumn 2024. It will be deployed in 2025 by the British Army’s 11 EOD & Search Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps, the specialist unit responsible for explosive device and munitions disposal.

Under the contract, Leonardo will also provide in-service support services to the Ministry of Defence, This support is initially contracted for two years, after which there are contract options to extend.