09 January 2025 , 20:37
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The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced a Project COOKSON Challenge Session, set to take place on 22 January 2025 in London.
The event invites industry partners from NATO, Ukraine, and Five-Eyes countries to help shape the development of a versatile, fast, and low-observable maritime system designed for operations in Ukraine and beyond.
According to the MOD, “If you have expertise in vessels, vessel launcher systems, surface-surface effectors, counter air effectors, marinised GNSS hardened navigation, sensors, integrators, autonomous systems, or beyond-line-of-sight communications, this session might be of interest to you.”
What is Project COOKSON?
Project COOKSON envisions a small, fast attack vessel equipped with modular payloads and capable of operating in challenging environments. The MOD described the system as follows:
A COOKSON system consists of a small, fast, vessel with low observability, with >2 one-way effectors mounted on it, including relevant launch system and support equipment. A COOKSON system should be able to travel to Ukraine via Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC) [and] must fit onto a 40 foot flatbed, ideally a 20 foot flatbed.”
The vessel is designed for reuse across multiple missions, with modular payloads allowing flexibility for different operational needs. Once deployed in Ukraine, the system will operate autonomously or semi-autonomously to deliver payloads, complete missions, and return to friendly coastlines for re-arming and maintenance.
Operational Objectives
The MOD outlined several critical capabilities for the COOKSON system:
A top speed exceeding 40 knots, even in Sea State 3 conditions.
A range of 800 nautical miles fully laden and a minimum endurance of 72 hours.
Low observability and the ability to operate in GNSS-degraded or denied environments.
The capability to carry multiple (>2) one-way effectors with a high-explosive warhead and a range of 30–100 km.
Hard-kill air defence capabilities to counter threats such as rotary-wing aircraft and ISR drones.
The MOD emphasised in the notice to industry, “The COOKSON system will be able to strike a target whilst the vessel and the effector are in a GNSS-denied or degraded environment.”
Concept of Operations
A COOKSON system consists of a small, fast vessel with low observability, equipped with more than two one-way effectors mounted alongside the relevant launch system and support equipment. The system is designed to be transported to Ukraine via Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC) and must fit onto a 40-foot flatbed truck, ideally a 20-foot flatbed.
If necessary, the vessel and effectors can be transported on separate flatbeds. While the ability to move the system by Strategic Air Transport is desirable, it is not essential, and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) can provide support to achieve this. The vessel is intended for reuse across multiple missions, making it distinct from a one-way attack platform.
Once in Ukraine, the COOKSON system will be deployed into a body of water, most likely a sea. At this point, the one-way effectors, if not already loaded, will be attached to the vessel, and it will be prepared for departure. This location will provide basic services, such as fuel, cranes, and the capability to rearm the vessel.
When loaded with its effectors, the COOKSON vessel will travel under its own power to the desired launch location. Target information, including location, will be sent to the vessel remotely. Target acquisition, identification, and mission planning may be conducted by third parties, although industry contributions are welcome.
The operators of the COOKSON system will then prepare the vessel for launching its effectors, potentially doing so remotely. They will verify the system’s functionality through a Built-In Test (BIT). Once confirmed to be operational, the COOKSON effectors will be launched, with all effectors (>2) expected to engage a single target to ensure mission success.
The COOKSON system also includes a requirement for hard-kill air defence capabilities to deter or defeat low-level aerial threats, such as rotary-wing aircraft or ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) drones.
After completing its mission, the COOKSON vessel will return to a friendly coastline for inspection, maintenance, repair, and re-arming. Ideally, the vessel will be removed from the water for these activities to be conducted on land, ensuring it is ready for subsequent missions.
Effectors in the COOKSON System
The effectors designed for the COOKSON system have several key characteristics and operational requirements:
Payload: Each effector carries an approximately 80kg high-explosive (HE) warhead, with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) open to providing the warheads as Government Furnished Equipment (GFx).
Range: The effectors have a range of 30–100 km and are capable of following pre-programmed routes with end-stage guidance.
Target Set: The primary targets are non-hardened land sites, with a secondary capability to engage other surface vessels.
Operational Capability: The COOKSON system and its effectors are designed to operate in GNSS-denied or degraded environments, ensuring effectiveness even in challenging electronic warfare conditions.
Production Capacity: The system is expected to support the production of a minimum of 20 effectors per month within six months of an order. The MOD emphasizes the need for high-volume, low-cost production.
Platform Considerations: The size and weight of the effectors will influence the design and characteristics of the COOKSON vessel to ensure compatibility and functionality.
Industry Collaboration
The Challenge Session aims to explore key aspects of the COOKSON system’s feasibility, including:
The trade-offs between crewed versus uncrewed designs.
Integration of air defence systems, such as 0.50 calibre weapons, MANPADs, or more advanced systems.
Scalability and production timelines, with a target of 2–3 vessels per month within six months of an order.
The MOD added, “The secondary purpose of the Challenge Session is to enable industry-to-industry networking, ahead of next steps.”
Next Steps
Insights from the Challenge Session will inform the next stages of Project COOKSON. The MOD plans to launch a procurement activity in Q1 2025 for an initial 10 COOKSON systems, along with hundreds of effectors. The procurement process will be competitive, with a small number of proposals (2–5) receiving funding for demonstrations in late 2025 or early 2026.
Project COOKSON represents a critical part of the UK’s contribution to the Maritime Capability Coalition, co-led with Norway. The UK aims to deliver a cutting-edge maritime capability to enhance Ukraine’s operational effectiveness in the ongoing conflict.