Lloyds Engineering Enters Defence Arena with FlyFocus to Develop Indigenous SIGINT UAV

Lloyds Engineering Works Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Poland-based FlyFocus to jointly develop the Defender SIGINT UAV. This next-gen unmanned aerial vehicle will be tailored for India’s defence sector, supporting surveillance, threat detection, and strategic reconnaissance under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

Lloyds Engineering Works Ltd (LEWL), a legacy player in marine and precision engineering, has taken a transformative leap into aerospace and defence. On October 9, 2025, the company signed an MoU with FlyFocus Sp. z o.o., a Warsaw-based leader in unmanned aerial systems, to co-develop the Defender SIGINT UAV—a cutting-edge platform for signals intelligence and electronic surveillance.

This strategic partnership marks LEWL’s formal entry into India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, aligning with national priorities for indigenous innovation and self-reliance.

Key highlights of the collaboration:

- LEWL and FlyFocus will jointly design and manufacture the Defender SIGINT UAV, a modular and scalable unmanned aerial platform  
- The UAV will be developed exclusively for India’s defence and security sector, with full localisation and technology transfer  
- Applications include border and coastal monitoring, airbase protection, VIP movement security, electronic threat detection, and strategic reconnaissance  
- FlyFocus brings expertise in avionics, passive radar, and SIGINT payloads, widely deployed across European defence programs  
- LEWL will lead system integration, indigenisation, and production within India, leveraging its engineering capabilities and infrastructure  
- The partnership supports India’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat missions, aiming to reduce dependence on imported defence technologies  
- The MoU opens doors for future technology transfer, joint production, and potential exports to global markets  
- This move diversifies LEWL’s portfolio beyond marine systems like steering gears and deck machinery into high-tech aerospace solutions  

The Defender SIGINT UAV is expected to enhance India’s surveillance and intelligence capabilities, offering a robust solution for modern warfare and homeland security. With rising demand for unmanned systems and electronic warfare tools, the collaboration positions LEWL as a future-ready defence innovator.

Sources: Business Upturn, ScanX News