TBG International has commenced a research and development programme focused on a novel kinetic effector designed to defeat hostile unmanned systems across multiple domains. The programme is led by the company’s UK-based engineering team and draws on TBG International’s expertise in munition design, energetics, and terminal ballistics.

The proliferation of unmanned aerial, ground, and surface systems has fundamentally changed the threat environment facing allied armed forces. Existing counter-measures are frequently either too expensive for the scale of the threat or insufficiently effective against rapidly evolving platforms. TBG International’s programme addresses this gap with an approach grounded in first-principles engineering that prioritises effectiveness, affordability, and compatibility with existing force structures.

The effector is being designed from the outset for manufacturability and operational fielding, not as a technology demonstrator but as a product that can be qualified, produced at scale, and placed in the hands of the forces that need it. TBG International owns all intellectual property generated through its R&D programmes and maintains a clear path from concept through prototyping to production for every product it develops.

This programme reflects TBG International’s broader commitment to strengthening UK sovereign defence capability. By developing and owning advanced defence technologies in the United Kingdom, the company contributes directly to the resilience and competitiveness of the UK defence industrial base.

“The unmanned threat is evolving faster than traditional acquisition programmes can respond. We are developing capability that is designed to be fielded, not demonstrated, and produced at the scale that allied forces actually need. That is the standard every R&D programme should be measured against.” – Ryan Hutchinson, Chief Operating Officer at TBG International