- New defence investment will help defence businesses grow, by
cutting red tape and creating hundreds of well-paid jobs, showing
how defence is an engine for growth.
- Investment will boost maritime drone skills in Plymouth and
the South West, helping keep Britain safe and taking advantage of
the maritime autonomy market worth hundreds of billions of
pounds.
- The South West benefits from over £6.6 billion a year in
defence spending, supporting 37,300 jobs.
£50 million defence investment is being poured into Plymouth and
the South West, making it easier for defence businesses to
innovate, creating skilled jobs in the region and boosting UK
national security.
The Plymouth Defence Growth Deal will help create hundreds of new
jobs and increase investment in the region. The investment
reinforces Plymouth as a leader in maritime autonomy, developing
the technology that helps keep the UK safe at sea.
The £50 million deal will expand on the National Centre for
Marine Autonomy, making it easier for industry to develop surface
and subsurface maritime drones by cutting red tape and providing
access to waterfront innovation labs and state-of-the-art testing
facilities.
The deal will also establish the Plymouth Marine Autonomy Trials
Authority to support start-up and marine autonomy businesses in
testing and deploying maritime drones, bringing technology to the
market quicker and growing their companies.
Additionally, the deal will also support Plymouth City College's
skills hub, providing technical training facilities and teaching
capacity at colleges and universities to have 60 new
defence-related courses such as advanced manufacturing,
engineering and technology, that directly meet the needs of
Plymouth's defence industry. Combined with Babcock's 2,000-job
Capability Centre, this investment will transform Plymouth's city
centre into a vibrant place to live, work and do business.
Defence Minister Lord said:
"We pledged a Defence Growth Deal for Plymouth and I'm delighted
to be here today to deliver on that promise. This £50m investment
will see Plymouth stay a world leader in maritime autonomy by
making it easier for its defence businesses, creating hundreds of
good jobs and boosting the defence industry across the South
West.
“Plymouth is already vital for the UK's defence, with the largest
naval base in Western Europe at HMNB Devonport providing the
backbone of the UK's submarine fleet. Defence investment in
Plymouth isn't just good for the city, it directly strengthens
the UK's ability to keep our seas safe and our country secure.”
This investment directly responds to the Strategic Defence
Review's commitment to expanding the UK's autonomous maritime
expertise, and will help make defence an engine for growth by
powering investment and jobs across the South West.
The UK is delivering the largest sustained increase in defence
spending since the end of the Cold War, hitting 2.6% of GDP in
2027.
The South West's defence sector is one of the most important and
capable in the UK. Global names such as Thales, Babcock,
Leonardo, Airbus and BAE Systems work with a thriving ecosystem
of up-and-coming firms - from Rowden Technologies to Oshen - that
are driving innovation across underwater drones, submarine
support and advanced helicopter engineering.
Plymouth and the South West are already at the heart of UK
defence. The MOD spent more than £6.6 billion in the South West
in 2024/25, directly supporting 37,300 industry jobs with almost
£400 million going to SMEs.
With £4 billion already committed to Devonport and defence
commitments running to at least 2070, Plymouth is a crucial city
for the Royal Navy.
