Cohort Group company Chess Dynamics has secured a £6.2m ($8.3m) contract to deliver an undisclosed number of trainable bases.

As part of the contract, Chess Dynamics’ trainable bases will be integrated into another Cohort Group company SEA’s Ancilia Trainable Decoy Launcher System.

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The trainable base is a modular and precision-controlled platform designed to support the payload of SEA’s decoy launcher.

The platform is designed to withstand impact and functioning in extreme conditions, providing essential azimuth and elevation control for the Ancilia system.

Chess Dynamics managing director Mark Byfield said: “This order is not just a commercial success; it is a testament to the trust, shared values and technical alignment between our companies. In a defence landscape that demands speed, agility and collaboration, this relationship demonstrates what can be achieved when class leading UK companies work together.”

The Ancilia system plays a crucial role in protecting naval fleets from advanced threats, including hypersonic missiles, by enabling countermeasures when traditional defensive manoeuvres are not feasible.

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The system’s design features decoy-agnostic tubes and an open architecture, allowing it to launch any standard 130mm Nato decoy and offering compatibility with existing platforms through integration with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) software.

SEA managing director Richard Flitton said: “By deepening our relationship with Chess Dynamics, we are reinforcing our position within the UK defence ecosystem. This collaboration ensures that critical capability is delivered with the highest levels of reliability, innovation and sovereign security. In an accelerating environment, it is these secure relationships that give us the confidence to meet our customer’s needs today and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow.”

In March 2024, SEA secured an additional contract from the UK Ministry of Defence worth £135m ($170.7m) to equip UK Royal Navy ships with its Ancilia trainable decoy launcher system.

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