BAE Systems and Turkish technology company TUALCOM have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore technologies for future autonomous air systems, with an emphasis on communications, navigation and electronic warfare capabilities in contested environments.

The agreement establishes a framework for the two companies to investigate the integration of advanced communications, resilient navigation and electronic warfare technologies into autonomous platforms for potential customers in the United Kingdom, Türkiye and international markets.

The companies said the cooperation will initially focus on identifying development opportunities in resilient autonomy. Teams from BAE Systems’ FalconWorks research and technology business and TUALCOM will evaluate concepts before potentially advancing them into future defence programmes.

The collaboration comes as defence customers seek autonomous systems capable of operating in environments where communications and navigation signals may be disrupted or unavailable.

BAE Systems said the partnership will combine the companies’ respective expertise to explore systems designed to maintain reliable communications and navigation in contested and degraded environments.

“Future autonomous capability will depend not only on advanced aircraft, but on the resilience of the systems that enable them to sense, communicate and make decisions in increasingly contested environments,” said Dave Holmes, managing director of BAE Systems’ FalconWorks division.