BAE Systems acquires drone manufacturer Malloy Aeronautics

The two companies have been collaborating on uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) since 2021, with the acquisition expected to broaden the drone developer’s product base and open new markets across the globe.

Malloy currently markets a range of heavy lift quadcopters to civil and military customers, able to carry payloads of 68 kilograms to 300 kilograms for short to medium-range missions.

It includes their co-developed T-650 heavy lift UAS system.

Simon Barnes, group managing director of BAE Systems’ air sector, explained that the acquisition was part of the company’s objective of delivering emerging technologies to clients.

“Our acquisition of Malloy Aeronautics is part of our ongoing strategy to develop and invest in breakthrough technologies which augment our existing capabilities and provide our customers with the innovation they need in response to evolving requirements,” Barnes explained.

“We’re confident that the synergy between our two companies will pave the way for even greater achievements in uncrewed aerial systems and technologies.”

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The acquisition will enable Malloy to leverage the skills and expertise offered by BAE Systems, Oriol Badia Rafart, chief operating officer at Malloy Aeronautics, said.

“We’ve come a long way over the last 10 years, turning our vision of sustainable electric heavy lift technology into reality, thanks to the dedication and efforts of our team.

“This new step in our journey with BAE Systems will allow us to combine the strengths and vision of a young company with the reach and support of an experienced one, ultimately giving our customers the ability to scale their demands and allow us to deliver innovative new products – including the T-650 – at pace.”

The announcement follows local news for the global defence prime in building their domestic autonomous capabilities.

BAE Systems Australia and Trusted Autonomous Systems (TAS) recently confirmed that the pair had moved a step closer to delivering a next-gen autonomous capability for the Australian Army.

The TAGVIEW (Trusted Autonomous Ground Vehicles in Electronic Warfare) system would allow multiple uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) to operate simultaneously to carry out mission objectives while identifying and evading potential threats.

The industry partnership recently completed a four-year research and demonstration program during which they developed an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system that could be used in UGVs.

The TAGVIEW technology has been designed to emphasise modularity combining and is integrated with BAE Systems’ autonomous Vehicle Management System. TAGVIEW will be compatible with a range of different UGVs.

Liam Garman

Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media

Liam began his career as a speech writer at New South Wales Parliament before working for world leading campaigns and research agencies in Sydney and Auckland. Throughout his career, Liam has managed and executed international media and communications campaigns spanning politics, business, industrial relations and infrastructure. He’s since shifted his attention to researching and writing extensively on geopolitics and defence. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney and a Masters in Strategy and Security with Excellence from UNSW Canberra, with a thesis on post-truth, postmodernism and disinformation operations.

 

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