QinetiQ, Leonardo to Develop, Integrate New Protection System for U.K. Tanks & Armored Vehicles

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has awarded a new contract through the Aurora Engineering Delivery Partnership (EDP) to enhance the survivability and protection of Land Armoured Vehicles in the British Army, with QinetiQ as the lead EDP partner and Leonardo UK as the Principal Systems Integrator collaborating on the project.

This initiative is the second development phase of the UK Modular Integrated Protection System (MIPS) program, succeeding the concluded Icarus TDP led by Leonardo in July 2021.

Leonardo will lead Team Minerva, a consortium comprising Thales, CGI, Roke, Ultra Electronics, and Frazer Nash. The MIPS program aims to develop a new pan-fleet active protection system architecture for British Army vehicles, including tanks and armored personnel carriers, to counter existing, new, and future threats.

The program aims to enhance the UK open systems architecture standard for configuring Active Protection Systems on various Armored Vehicle types. The system targets threats such as Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), Anti-Tank Guided Weapons (ATGWs), and Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS). The focus of this phase is to develop the MIPS Controller to Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL7), ensuring the readiness of the MIPS program technology.