WINFRITH, United Kingdom — TKMS ATLAS UK (a subsidiary of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems) has been officially awarded the Next Generation Countermeasure (NGCM) development contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). The system forms a primary operational component of the Royal Navy’s broader Underwater Defensive Aids Suite (UDAS) architecture.
The multi-year contract focuses on the design, development, and integration of an advanced soft-kill torpedo defense system across the Royal Navy’s current nuclear attack submarine (SSN) fleet and future underwater platforms. Designed using an incremental, spiral-development methodology, the NGCM capability will deploy in phased stages between 2025 and 2032 to counter evolving acoustic, wake-homing, and high-speed autonomous underwater threats.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: NEXT GENERATION COUNTERMEASURE (NGCM) / UDAS 
* Prime Contractor / Systems Integrator: TKMS ATLAS UK (Winfrith, UK)
* Lead Sub-Tier Platform Partner: Babcock International Group
* Contracting Authority: UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) / Royal Navy
* Strategic Framework: Royal Navy Underwater Defensive Aids Suite (UDAS) Programme
* Industrial Support: Sustains ~80 specialized defense engineering jobs in Winfrith and across the UK supply chain
* Targeted Submarine Platform Class Integration:
* Active SSN Fleet: Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines
* Active SSBN Fleet: Vanguard-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines
* Next-Gen SSBN Fleet: Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines
* Next-Gen SSN Fleet: SSN-AUKUS attack submarines (Trilateral UK-US-AUS program)
* System Architecture & Technical Capabilities:
* Countermeasure Functionality: Soft-kill acoustic decoys, jammers, and multi-spectral anti-torpedo countermeasures
* Development Methodology: Spiral-development paradigm allowing rapid software and payload upgrades throughout platform lifecycles
* Adaptive Threat Response: Engineered to neutralize advanced acoustic-homing, wire-guided, and autonomous torpedo threat profiles
* Launch Architecture: Compatible with external countermeasure launchers and standard submarine discharge tubes
