Les Murray

Positive news for UK defence tech and SMEs At DSEI this week, the UK announced it will mass-produce thousands of Ukrainian-designed interceptor drones under Project Octopus. A landmark move that puts British industry at the heart of Europe’s most urgent defence challenge. Even more encouraging, Ukraine’s largest drone manufacturer has committed £200m ($271m) to two new UK facilities, creating hundreds of skilled jobs and embedding long-term industrial partnerships here. Why this matters for UK defence tech and SMEs? 👊Real opportunities for the supply chain, scaling thousands of drones a month will demand materials, electronics, software, testing, and innovation from across the SME ecosystem. 👊Proof of UK credibility, the fact Ukraine has chosen to co-produce here is a recognition of UK agility, ingenuity, and trust in our industrial base. 👊Investment and jobs, this is not just about helping Ukraine, it’s about anchoring sovereign capability and growth inside the UK. This is a model the UK must continue to build on, innovation-led, collaborative, fast, and open to SMEs who can deliver specialist technologies and services at pace. For once, this feels like a genuinely positive step where national security and industrial renewal go hand in hand. The challenge now is ensuring SMEs aren’t locked out by the usual procurement bottlenecks, but actively integrated into delivery. #DefenceInnovation #SMEs #DSEI2025 #DroneWarfare #SovereignCapability

116

6 Comments

The CQI has responded to the UK government’s new Defence Industrial Strategy, highlighting the critical role that quality management must play to ensure its successful implementation. I said: “We welcome the certainty and clarity that this strategy brings for industry, public bodies and the quality profession. Along with a steady Ministerial team unchanged in the recent reshuffle, it will enable greater investment and forward planning by firms, as well as greater innovation in technology and management processes. With our Royal Charter requiring the CQI to make policy proposals in the wider public interest, we strongly recommend the following critical success factors: - creating quality champions in each of the new local Defence Growth Deals - including quality practitioner apprenticeships in the 24,000 apprenticeships - including quality professionals in the Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme - ensuring quality management is included in the new Defence Technical Excellence Colleges’ curriculum - engaging the quality profession in the modernisation of defence procurement through future consultation and working groups Reflecting the CQI’s origins as the Ministry of Munitions’ Technical Inspection Association in 1919, the institute currently has 1,592 members and 8 corporate partners working in the UK defence sector and is well-placed and ready to support the deployment of the Defence Industrial Strategy"

84

10 Comments

On September 17, 2025, BAE Systems conducted synthetic trials at its Warton site in Lancashire, bringing together digital representations of the Eurofighter Typhoon alongside a range of drones, including QinetiQ’s Banshee family and the Malloy T-150, to explore next-generation crewed-uncrewed teaming concepts. As reported by BAE Systems, the demonstration validated key aspects such as interoperability, autonomy, and advanced human‑machine interfaces, while also revealing two previously unseen unmanned platforms positioned next to a Typhoon. By illustrating how uncrewed systems can increase combat mass and assume high-risk tasks, the trials underscored their strategic importance in shaping the future of airpower debates. ( 📸 BAE Systems ) #military #defense #defence #aerospace #aviation #aircraft #aircrafts #airplane #airplanes #aviationlovers #militaryaviation #militaryaircraft #fighterjet #engineering #technology #militarytechnology #defensetechnology #defenseinnovation #defenseindustry #airforce #pilots #Drone #typhoon #UK #British

39

3 Comments

The UK has just launched our new Defence Industrial Strategy built on reform, innovation, and growth.   It recognises the need for security and growth to go hand-in-hand. Key highlights include: ✅ New £250m Defence Growth Deals across the UK ✅ £182m skills package ✅ Increasing spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028 ✅ £400m for UK defence innovation ✅ New office of Defence Exports to support UK industry ✅ Enhanced UKEF financing capacity of £80 billion   Watch the video to find out more 👇 Peter Kyle Department for Business and Trade UK Ministry of Defence Sam Lister Royal Navy

166

3 Comments