World's smallest drone-killing missile to get new European launcher

British defense firm Babcock International and Estonian startup Frankenburg Technologies have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop a containerized missile launcher system aimed at countering low-cost, one-way attack drones threatening ships and coastal infrastructure. Engineering will be led from the UK, with the goal of creating a sovereign, rapidly deployable maritime air defense capability. The system will combine Babcock’s naval integration expertise with Frankenburg’s low-cost missile technology, featuring a modular design that can be quickly installed on various vessels or fixed sites without major modifications. At the core of the project is Frankenburg’s Mark 1 missile, touted as the world’s smallest guided missile at about 60 cm in length. Designed for mass production using commercial components, the solid-fuel rocket-powered missile is optimized for short-range air defense and can be produced up to 100 times faster and at roughly one-tenth the cost of conventional alternatives. Frankenburg demonstrated a successful “hard-kill” intercept of a fast-moving aerial