- Unprecedented UK defence sector growth with more than £1.4
billion in foreign direct investment committed in just 12 months.
- More than 1,700 new jobs being created across the UK,
delivering on this Government's Plan for Change.
- Ministers saw British innovation and investment in action
with visits to Greenford and Farringdon.
More than 1,700 new jobs are being created as the UK's defence
sector drives unprecedented growth across the country, following
at least £1.4 billion foreign direct investment being announced
since July 2024.
This success reflects the Government's commitment to making
defence an engine for economic growth across the UK. The increase
in annual foreign direct investment from international companies
demonstrates the confidence that companies feel to invest in the
UK, alongside the Government's historic uplift in defence
spending, providing a significant boost to the UK economy and
showing more countries are choosing to invest in facilities in
Britain.
The increased investment is supporting the UK's defence
industrial base, with thousands of new jobs created and supported
across the country, including manufacturing, engineering, and
business service roles. Recent investments include an expanded
drone manufacturing facility in Hampshire, shipbuilding secured
in Belfast, and the investment in artillery systems manufacture
in Telford.
The soon to be published Defence Industrial Strategy will set out
how the UK will further strengthen its defence industrial base
and supply chains, enhance sovereign capabilities, and position
Britain as a global leader in defence technology whilst creating
high-skilled jobs and driving economic growth across the
country.
Defence Secretary MP, said:
“This record new investment is a confirmed vote of confidence in
Britain.
“In a new era for defence, I am backing British industry, British
innovators and British jobs.
“A strong defence industrial base helps keep Britain safe and
makes defence an engine for growth.”
Ministers showcased this momentum yesterday with visits
highlighting new British defence innovation sites.
The Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon MP, opened Ultra Maritime's new
£20 million manufacturing facility in Greenford, London, which
will employ 100 staff including 35 new manufacturing and testing
roles focused on producing cutting-edge sonobuoys for
anti-submarine warfare systems.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon
MP, said:
"Ultra Maritime's innovative work supports the Royal Navy to help
keep the UK safe, whilst backing dozens of skilled manufacturing
jobs.
“By deepening their investment in state-of-the-art facilities, it
is another demonstration of the confidence defence firms have in
growing their companies in the UK.
“The Defence Industrial Strategy will ensure we continue to
attract world-class companies to the UK, creating high-skilled
jobs and cementing Britain's position as a global defence
technology leader."
The Minister for Veterans and People, DSO OBE MC MP, opened
Arondite's new Farringdon office, celebrating a British
defence-tech company building AI software to connect autonomous
systems. Veteran-founded Arondite announced a £100 million
investment in advanced R&D, expanding its UK footprint and
creating 100 new high-skilled jobs.
Minister for Veterans and People, DSO OBE MC MP,
said:
"Arondite's expansion represents exactly the kind of British
innovation and entrepreneurship that exemplifies Defence as an
engine for growth - combining cutting-edge AI technology with job
creation and sovereign capability development.
“As outlined in the SDR, we are creating a new partnership with
business and making it easier for SMEs to do business with
Defence. Through our Defence Industrial Strategy, we're backing
brilliant British companies like veteran-founded Arondite to
scale up, create careers, and keep our nation secure in an
increasingly complex world."
These developments build on the Government's delivery of the
Strategic Defence Review, which provided the strategic framework
for strengthening Britain's defence capabilities to meet the new
era of threat, whilst harnessing the Prime Minister's historic
defence investment to create jobs and opportunity in communities
nationwide.
