- Recommendations unveiled today by the Defence and Economic
Growth Taskforce will build upon 14,000 extra jobs supported by
government investment in the defence sector
- Comes as Defence Tech company Helsing announces the UK's
first Resilience Factory in Plymouth as it accelerates £350m UK
investment in Artificial Intelligence
- Taskforce report puts forward "Team UK" government and
business collaboration to drive growth and create jobs as part of
government's Plan for Change
Plans to deliver jobs across the UK by unlocking the full
economic potential of Britain's defence sector are set to be
unveiled today (8 July 2025).
Recommendations from the Defence and Economic Growth Taskforce
will outline key steps - including developing regional Defence
Growth Deals - to ensure that working people benefit from the
government's move to increase defence spending.
New opportunities for UK workers are already on the way with
defence tech company Helsing announcing that it will open the
UK's first Resilience Factory this year. The UK technology and
its supply chain will create specialist high-value jobs in
the South West and across the country, as Helsing doubles the
size of its UK business.
Helsing's acceleration of its £350m Trinity House private
investment will see it provide allied navies with AI-powered
miniature submarines to protect critical underwater
infrastructure. The advanced manufacturing facility will be based
in Plymouth, as the new national centre of marine autonomy.
The Taskforce's recommendations will be launched at a Ministry of
Defence roundtable chaired by the Chancellor and Defence Secretary later today.
The report's key recommendation is for a "Team UK" strategy to
ensure the UK is globally competitive, driving innovation, jobs
and prosperity across the UK, reforming procurement and
contracting processes to grow the UK defence sector – in line
with the Strategic Defence Review.
It also recommends prioritising investment in “dual use”
technologies that can be used for both civil and military
purposes in the UK.
The meeting comes as figures published last week show that
151,000 UK jobs are directly supported by the MOD's spend with
industry - an increase of 14,000 on the previous year.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, , said:
“A new era
of threats demands a new era for defence and security. That's why
we took the decision to prioritise defence spending, increasing
it to 2.6% of GDP by April 2027.
“Through this, and the work of the Defence and Economic Growth
Taskforce - including Helsing's welcome announcement of the first
UK Resilience Factory - we are securing our nation and unleashing
the economic potential in the Defence sector, benefitting working
people across the UK through our Plan for Change.”
Ned Baker, UK Managing Director,
Helsing:
“Helsing supports the Government's ambitions
for our defences and economy. We are investing in both by opening
the first UK Resilience Factory and accelerating our £350m
commitment.
“We have confidence in the Government's commitment to new
technological solutions for defence. Together, we can attract
further private investment, equipping our Armed Forces and
growing the economy.”
The Secretary of State for Defence, , said:
“In a new
era for defence, we are building a new partnership with the UK's
outstanding defence industry, with innovators and with
investors.
“We will equip our Armed Forces for the future and make defence
an engine for economic growth through our Defence Industrial
Strategy - unlocking investment, reforming procurement,
championing innovation and backing companies of all sizes.
“I welcome the Defence and Economic Growth Taskforce's report
which recognises how we can boost high-skilled jobs across the
country and grow our economy while strengthening our frontline
forces.”
The government has already begun work on three of the report's
recommendations:
- Establishing a defence SME Hub to provide support to new
market entrants.
- Commencing work on a Defence Exports Office in the MOD, as
announced in the Strategic Defence Review.
- Committing to developing Defence Growth Deals across the UK
at the Spending Review.
The remaining recommendations will now be worked through as part
of the cross-Whitehall Defence Growth Board and the Defence
Industrial Joint Council ahead of the forthcoming launch of the
Defence Industrial Strategy.
The Taskforce, led by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)
with Oliver Wyman and co-chaired by the Chancellor and Defence
Secretary, is a unique partnership between government, industry
and financial institutions. Its 20 member organisations have
collaborated with HM Treasury and the MOD to produce the
recommendations.
