Roke has launched its CORTEXA GUARDIAN counter-drone system, which is already being fielded by military customers in the UK and Northern Europe.

The system targets a persistent problem in counter-uncrewed aircraft operations: many existing tools require specialist operators and extensive training. CORTEXA GUARDIAN was designed so generalist soldiers can use it after training measured in days rather than months, with some users moving from receiving the kit to unsupervised operation in less than 48 hours.

The platform can detect, track and identify multiple low-cost aerial threats at the same time. Its modular design allows users to configure it for different missions and operating conditions.

Instead of relying on dedicated hardware, the interface runs in a web browser on standard devices including laptops, tablets and mobile phones. The physical set-up also avoids specialist equipment, with the system mounted on commercial camera tripods rather than military-specific masts.

That design reflects how the product was developed. Roke worked with armed forces and mission partners across the UK and Northern Europe, then refined the system in response to operational feedback rather than controlled testing alone.

Training focus

The approach is intended to reduce the burden on front-line personnel. Advanced sensing, tracking, prioritisation and classification functions run automatically in the background, leaving operators with only the information needed to make decisions.

This is significant as armed forces and public safety organisations face a growing number of incidents involving small, relatively cheap drones. Such aircraft are an increasing concern because they are easy to acquire, can be deployed quickly, and can complicate the protection of bases, troops and other sensitive sites.

The system is intended for use in layered air defence, giving commanders and operators earlier warning of threats in contested airspace. It is also aimed at dispersed units and forward operating bases where personnel may not have access to specialist counter-drone teams.

Operational use

CORTEXA GUARDIAN was first shown publicly at DSEI 2025 before moving into operational deployment. Early customers had already received and deployed units independently, which Roke described as evidence of the system’s ease of use.

The product is being marketed to government, defence and public safety organisations across NATO and Northern Europe. Border security and critical infrastructure protection are also identified as potential areas of demand.

Counter-drone technology has become a fast-moving segment of the defence market as armed forces seek systems that can keep pace with changing threats without adding major training and support burdens. Suppliers are increasingly focusing on systems that combine sensors and software in a single package and can be upgraded as new drone types and detection tools emerge.

Roke said its architecture was designed to evolve over time, allowing new sensors to be added without changing the operator experience. The company presents this as a way to keep systems usable for non-specialist personnel even as the threat picture changes.

Marc Overton, Managing Director, Roke, said: “Small unmanned systems are among the most disruptive threats facing defence and security forces today. Countering them effectively requires capability that can be integrated rapidly, adapted as threats evolve, and used by the people who need it most, not just specialists.

“CORTEXA GUARDIAN was developed to meet that requirement. It reflects close collaboration with military partners and a clear focus on operational reality. This launch marks an important step in making that capability available more widely.”

The former premises of Wantage Chippy has been listed for £175,000 by Central Business Agency.

This follows the takeaway restaurant, which was at 26 Wallingford Street, being dissolved in October last year after it opened with some excitement on Tuesday, March 4, 2023.

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Owner Ahmed Elaboussi said at its launch: “I saw the need for a fish and chip shop in what is a small old traditional English market town that is lacking a fish and chip shop.

“You can enjoy traditional fish and chips not mixed with pizza or international food or anything else.

The opening of the Wantage Chippy in 2023 (Image: Ed Nix)

“We have been bombarded by pizza shops in Wantage. I live here, and I have seen people say a lot of negative things about how many we are getting.”

He added that Wantage Chippy would also “stand apart from other businesses because of its fresh ingredients”.

Mr Elaboussi said: “The cod is crispy battered and not soggy, and all our chips are made from scratch. We peel our own potatoes, and we don’t buy them frozen.”

In its last submitted accounts for the period ended February 28, 2025, it said it made a profit of over £8,000 although had creditors falling due within a year amounting to £8,535.

The former premises of Wantage Chippy (Image: Central Business Agency)

The initial application to strike the company off the register was received on July 15, 2025, and was formalised on October 7, 2025.

The Grade II listed property has since been stripped and is being marketed as a ‘blank canvas’.

Its listing on Rightmove states: “Central Business Agency are pleased to offer an opportunity to acquire a recently refurbished Grade II listed mixed-use property in a central Wantage location, suitable for takeaway or retail use and offered with vacant possession.

“The ground floor provides a self-contained commercial unit, presented in excellent condition and ready for immediate occupation.

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“The property has previously been used as a takeaway and offers a strong opportunity for a new operator to establish a presence in the town (subject to any necessary consents).”

The listing adds that the first floor comprises two rooms together with shower and WC facilities and that the accommodation is best suited for use such as staff space, office or storage because access is via the commercial unit.

The listing added: “The property offers a straightforward “blank canvas” and is likely to appeal to owner-occupiers in the food sector, as well as investors.”

Granicus has named seven winners in its annual UK Digital Government Awards, which recognise public sector teams for measurable improvements in citizen engagement, service delivery and transparency.

The winners span local government and public bodies across the UK, with projects covering transport consultations, digital permits, case processing and internal communications.

Now in its sixteenth year, the programme highlights organisations using digital tools to reshape how residents interact with public services. This year’s winning entries delivered practical results, including shorter processing times, broader public participation and lower administrative workloads.

The awards were presented across six categories, with two winners in Operational Excellence.

Winners named

Enfield Council’s Transport, Climate and Place team won the Changemaker category for increasing inclusive participation in transport and placemaking projects. Its work generated more than 115,000 platform visits and higher engagement from young and disabled residents.

North Tyneside Council’s Engagement Team took the Community Engagement award after its consultation platform increased resident representation from 153 to 2,506 participants across all 20 wards.

In Operational Excellence, Cafcass was recognised for raising internal newsletter open rates from 15% to more than 60%, supporting recruitment visibility and wider organisational performance.

Wrexham County Borough Council’s Customer Services team shared the Operational Excellence honours after cutting Blue Badge application processing times from 18 working days to seven by automating workflows from start to finish.

The Service Delivery award went to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Digital Team. Digitising a paper-based parking permits service allowed it to process 9,200 applications, generate GBP £460,000 in online payments and save an estimated 110 staff weeks.

Wealden District Council’s Digital Services team won the Total Government Experience category for consolidating key services into a single self-service resident portal designed to meet WCAG accessibility standards, reducing demand on its contact centre.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Health Determinants Research Collaboration received the Trust and Transparency award for bringing residents into policy development and including them as voting members on recruitment panels.

Ian Roberts, UK managing director at Granicus, outlined the themes behind the awards.

“Faster services, with processing times cut from weeks to days; clearer communications, with engagement reaching thousands more residents; and stronger trust, built through more open and inclusive decision-making. Every year we see the ambition, creativity and commitment of public sector teams across the UK. This year’s winners show what is possible when digital is used with purpose. They are improving how citizens engage with services and building more transparent, responsive government. We are proud to recognise their achievements,” he said.

Measured results

Several winning projects focused on replacing manual processes with online systems. In Wrexham, shorter Blue Badge turnaround times had a direct effect on applicants waiting for a decision. In Tower Hamlets, moving parking permits online transformed a paper-led service into a digital process while delivering measurable administrative savings.

Other winners were recognised for expanding participation rather than reducing processing time. North Tyneside’s increase in consultation participants across every ward points to a broader base of input into council decisions, while Enfield focused on groups often underrepresented in planning and transport discussions.

The Trust and Transparency category reflected a different strand of digital public service work. Rhondda Cynon Taf’s award highlighted the use of resident input not only in consultation, but also in decision-making structures, including recruitment panels.

Cafcass was the only national public body among the listed winners. Its recognition for internal communications points to the role digital channels can play inside public organisations as well as in outward-facing services.

The winners were selected for demonstrable impact on citizen experience, organisational efficiency and public trust. Together, they reflect a mix of front-line service redesign, participation work and internal process change across councils and public agencies.

Granicus works with thousands of public sector organisations, and the awards draw from that customer base. This year’s winners included teams from London, Wales, north-east England and the south-east, underlining the spread of digital service projects across different parts of the public sector.

Among the clearest headline metrics were North Tyneside’s rise from 153 to 2,506 consultation participants, Wrexham’s reduction in Blue Badge processing times from 18 working days to seven, and Tower Hamlets’ handling of 9,200 permit applications alongside GBP £460,000 in online payments and an estimated saving of 110 staff weeks.