Sophie Lane
Chief Relationships Officer, Aerospace Technology Institute
Advanced technologies are central to addressing the security, economic and sustainability challenges the UK is facing.
Demand to develop high-performance technologies together with high-rate and low-cost manufacturing capacity has seldom been higher. Could even greater collaboration between our civil and defence sectors be the catalyst for jobs, growth and innovation at the pace and scale required?
Civil-defence tech convergence
In aerospace, the UK boasts world-class capabilities in both civil and defence, built on a shared history of research and innovation. While exploitation paths may be different, the fundamental technologies are often the same. Actively collaborating to unlock capabilities at an accelerated rate across advanced manufacturing, materials, hybridisation and propulsion supports both sectors and creates spillover across the UK.
A current Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme-funded aerodynamics project is doing just this by enabling civil and defence aerospace companies to jointly develop advanced airframe configurations, sharing both resource requirements and project outcomes.
This type of approach accelerates the development of world-leading technology in the UK and consequently secures high-value jobs and growth across both sectors, helping to protect the sovereignty of supply in an uncertain world.
In aerospace, the UK boasts world-class
capabilities in both civil and defence, built
on a shared history of research and innovation.
Policy alignment accelerates innovation
The UK Government’s pledge to invest 10% of the Ministry of Defence’s equipment budget in innovation, the Modern Industrial Strategy’s focus on ‘frontier industries’ with civil and military applications and the recent commitment to an additional 10 years of funding for the ATI provide opportunity. We have, for the first time perhaps since the Cold War, reached a strategic alignment of policy, budget and imperative — but the task is huge, and time is short.
We can build on the Government-industry Defence and Aerospace Growth Partnerships and existing joint working, such as the ATI’s expert advisory groups. These include representation from civil and defence organisations, to give clear direction to our sectors. Providing a joined-up signal to industry, akin to the ATI and working alongside, could expand the pace of defence and civil innovation, provide long-term stability for both sectors and better direct investment. By engaging the brightest minds across the value chain, we can use this momentum to boost competitiveness and drive sustainable growth.
