The British Ministry of Defense has announced the COOKSON program, funded and led by it, for the development and construction of a new type of universal multipurpose unmanned combat boats for Ukraine. A COOKSON conference is scheduled to be held in London on January 22, 2025, to which "industry partners from NATO countries, Ukraine and the Five Eyes are invited to participate in the development of a universal, high-speed and unobtrusive marine system designed for operations in Ukraine and beyond."
Abstract hypothetical image of a small, low-speed, low-visibility, reusable unpowered boat with a modular payload (c) created under the auspices of the British Ministry of Defense for Ukraine under the COOKSON program ukdefencejournal.org.uk
The COOKSON program, according to the requirements of the British Ministry of Defense, provides for the creation of a small, high-speed, low-visibility, reusable, unmanned boat with a modular payload, which must have more than two weapons launchers ("effectors"). The boats should be able to be delivered to Ukraine by land transport and for this they should be placed on 40-foot (12-meter) and, "ideally", on 20-foot (6-meter) car platforms or trailers. It is also possible to adapt the boat for air transportation. The accountant must be able to operate autonomously or semi-autonomously.
The requirements for a COOKSON boat are a full speed of 40 knots in rough seas of 3 points, a range of 800 nautical miles at full load, a minimum duration of 72 hours, low visibility, the ability to operate in conditions of deterioration or lack of reception of satellite navigation system signals, the ability to carry several (more than two) disposable weapons systems ("effectors") with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead and a firing range of 30-100 km, air defense capabilities with powerful weapons to counter threats such as helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (in particular, the possibility of using 12.7mm machine guns, MANPADS or "more advanced complexes" is being considered). The request to the industry specifically emphasizes that "the COOKSON system should be able to hit a target when the boat and the weapon system are in the absence or deterioration of reception of satellite navigation system signals."
Regarding the main type of "effectors" (guided missiles) planned for use on a boat, it is reported that their main targets are unprotected coastal facilities, and a secondary goal is to defeat surface ships. The requirements include a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 80 kg, a firing range of 30-100 km, guidance (apparently command) on the final section of the trajectory, ensuring efficiency even in difficult conditions of electronic warfare and the absence of reception of satellite navigation system signals. The contractor is expected to be able to maintain production of at least 20 effectors per month for six months from the date of the order. The British Ministry of Defense "emphasizes the need for large-scale and low-cost production."
The UK Ministry of Defense says it "plans to begin procurement activities in the first quarter of 2025 for the first 10 COOKSON systems, as well as hundreds of effectors." The procurement process will be competitive, and a small number of proposals (from two to five) will receive funding for demonstrations in late 2025 or early 2026." It is planned that the selected supplier will provide serial deliveries at a rate of two to three boats per month from six months after receiving the contract.
