- £580 million funding for Dstl infrastructure, including
building a new laboratory to expand work against biological
warfare threats.
- New lab named after former British Foreign Secretary Ernest
Bevin, one of founders of NATO.
- Organisation renowned for new technologies and
chemical weapons analysis, including DragonFire laser,
drone technology for Ukraine and Novichok nerve agent response.
Expert UK scientists working on the most innovative defence
technologies will be backed by £580 million of
infrastructure funding over the next four years, including to
build a new world-leading new laboratory and expand their
research.
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is dedicated
to cutting- edge research into new science and technologies for
defence, and in 2018 its site at Porton Down notably analysed
samples of the military-grade Novichok nerve agent used by Russia
on UK soil.
This funding, allocated as part of the forthcoming
Defence Investment Plan, will help develop a new laboratory in
Porton Down to enable the organisation to expand its work on
biological threats. The lab will be named after former British
Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin, one of founders of
NATO.
This support will ensure the UK continues to be a global leader
in innovative research.
Defence Secretary, MBE MP said:
"Our scientists and experts working at Dstl do so much, often
unseen, to keep our country and our allies safe at this
increasingly dangerous and unpredictable time.
The £580 million investment will create the facilities needed at
Porton Down to expand their vital work, delivering for our Armed
Forces and our national security.
For the last 25 years Dstl has led the UK's defence science and
technology research from Artificial Intelligence to underwater
systems.
From developing smart find and strike' systems for faster
battlefield decisions, providing cutting-edge technology used by
the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and their F-35
Lightning fighter jets, to trialling the UK's first high-energy
laser weapon DragonFire, and supporting operations
worldwide, Dstl plays a vital role in keeping the UK safe at home
and strong abroad.
Dstl Chief Executive, Paul Hollinshead
said:
This investment reinforces the essential work delivered daily by
Dstl to protect the UK Armed Forces and defend the nation.
"As part of a broader infrastructure programme at Dstl, this new
laboratory will strengthen our capacity to stay ahead of evolving
biological threats and maintain the UK's leading edge in defence
and security.
To further bolster the UK's leadership in science and technology,
the UK has also ringfenced £1.6 billion investment by 2030 for
the UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) fund to accelerate innovation,
strengthen security, and grow UK defence technology.
UKDI funding played a crucial role in delivering the UK's first
fully autonomous full-sized helicopter, Proteus, in a major
milestone for the Armed Forces, which will support the Royal
Navy's anti-submarine warfare efforts.
