Exclusive: UK and Australia launch partnership to jointly develop next generation guided weapons.

According to information published by the Australian Government on August 22, 2025, a new defense partnership between Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and the United Kingdom’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will drive the joint development of affordable, next-generation guided weapons. Known as the Copperhead Project Arrangement, the initiative was formally signed in February 2025 and is designed to speed up weapons innovation by applying modular “plug and launch” technology, reducing both cost and time from concept to battlefield deployment.
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Sharktooth missile technology showcased by Defence Science and Technology Group at the Australian International Airshow 2025. (Photo courtesy of DSTG)

The Copperhead program is built upon the fusion of Australia’s Sharktooth guided missile technology with the UK’s Modular Weapons Testbed, creating a collaborative platform where subsystems such as seekers, propulsion units, warheads, and guidance systems can be rapidly swapped and integrated. The Sharktooth initiative, already under development at DSTG, provides a foundation for this modular approach, offering the ability to reconfigure weapons for specific missions. This adaptability is seen as a decisive edge in modern warfare, where threats evolve faster than conventional acquisition cycles.

Dr Michael Sharp, Research Leader at DSTG, emphasized that the “plug and play” concept could transform the way armed forces respond to operational challenges. By allowing soldiers to tailor missile systems in the field, the technology disrupts traditional weapons manufacturing models, opening the door to low-cost, flexible solutions that grant an asymmetric advantage. This modularity also supports the wider Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Plan, a central pillar of Australia’s sovereign defense manufacturing strategy, backed by nearly $60 million in government investment.

Beyond technical innovation, Copperhead is structured to strengthen Australia’s defense industrial base by nurturing new capabilities in areas where domestic expertise remains limited. The program is expected to advance rocket motor production, modular warhead and fuze development, seeker technologies, and advanced guidance and control systems. By co-developing these technologies with the UK, Australia aims to position itself as a credible manufacturer of critical subsystems that have traditionally been sourced from overseas, reducing supply chain vulnerabilities in contested environments.

Professor Tanya Monro, Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist, highlighted the strategic significance of Copperhead as more than a technology-sharing agreement. It is a deliberate effort to deliver “asymmetric advantage” through science and innovation, ensuring the Australian Defence Force retains the ability to outpace adversaries in a deteriorating global security landscape. For the UK, the collaboration provides a testbed for validating advanced weapon architectures that could influence its future missile programs, while for Australia it represents a leap forward in sovereign production capacity under the Future Made in Australia agenda.

When placed in a global context, Copperhead represents a significant evolution in modular weapons design. The United States has already demonstrated modular integration through programs such as the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), which leverages common seekers and propulsion systems to create a family of air-launched precision weapons. Similarly, Europe’s MBDA has been at the forefront of modular missile architectures, fielding families like the CAMM air defense missile system and SPEAR strike weapons that share key components across platforms. However, both U.S. and European approaches remain heavily driven by established defense primes, with long development cycles and high cost thresholds. Copperhead differentiates itself by aiming for affordability and speed of integration, deliberately prioritizing rapid reconfiguration in the field rather than standardized manufacturing economies of scale.

This focus makes Copperhead a disruptive complement to existing Western missile programs. Where the U.S. and European efforts emphasize platform integration and large-scale procurement, Australia and the UK are pursuing a strategy of battlefield flexibility and low-cost deterrence. In a contested Indo-Pacific theater where adversaries field increasingly diverse anti-access and area-denial systems, the ability to modify a guided weapon’s seeker, warhead, or propulsion unit on short notice could provide a decisive operational advantage. If successful, Copperhead may set a precedent for a new generation of modular precision weapons that smaller allied nations can co-develop and manufacture without relying entirely on traditional defense giants.