KBR subsidiary Frazer-Nash Consultancy has secured a two-year contract from the United Kingdom’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory to advance research into cyber situational awareness, aiming to support both human users and future human-artificial intelligence teams.
Called Autonomous Defensive Cyber, the initiative will build on the recently concluded Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence program, a three-year effort led by Frazer-Nash that explored how AI/machine learning could help Ministry of Defence systems respond to and recover from cyberattacks. That earlier program generated more than 100 novel research projects in partnership with industry, many of which have advanced to early trial phases.
Under the new contract, Frazer-Nash will focus on maturing those research outputs into operational capabilities that align with emerging user needs and support the goals outlined in the U.K. government’s Strategic Defence Review.
A Dstl spokesperson said the ARCD program helped show how AI/ML can work in cyber defense and the best ways to train and test them. They added that the newer ADC project will build on this progress and focus on results that can be used in real-world operations.
The award comes as London intensifies its investment in AI and digital battlefield technologies. In May, Dstl, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force jointly conducted trials in Portland Harbour to test AI systems for automatic target detection and recognition.
More recently, the MoD announced a $1.3 billion investment to enhance the country’s cyber and electronic warfare readiness. The funding supports technologies such as the Digital Targeting Web, a system designed to improve interoperability among British military units, and the establishment of a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command.