QinetiQ awarded small boat threat research contract

QinetiQ will conduct research work for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to improve the way vessels are able to coordinate their defences against the small boat threat. The company announced a contract for the work on 28 August.

The work will focus on the generation of quality situational awareness using a proof of concept sensor system developed by Dstl. QinetiQ Command Information Systems Services will develop a containerised experiment facility to enable a demonstration of the system and its capabilities at sea.

The demonstrator will integrate all relevant on-board sensors and show how information can be most effectively presented to command to allow informed decisions to be made, and coordinated response to an identified threat to be carried out.

Philip Smith, affordable maritime presence programme manager, Dstl, said: ‘This work is aimed at understanding how data can be most effectively presented to the operator to aid situation awareness and combat the small boat threat. We selected QinetiQ because they are able to bring together knowledge of sensor technology, experience in the discipline of human factors and a systems engineering approach.’

Sarah Kenny, managing director maritime, QinetiQ, added: ‘This is the second contract we have been awarded by Dstl which focuses on the threat posed by small boats to large vessels. This contract plays very much to our strengths in that we will be combining our extensive system, sensor and technical capabilities with our knowledge and understanding of human factors.’