R&D plan recognises need for UK to win race for technological advantage
The UK MoD on 19 October announced a new Science and Technology Strategy for R&D, set against the backdrop of the annual Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) showcase of UK-developed systems (pictured).
This strategy includes ‘a renewed focus on data, including capture and curation, which will underpin research to identify threat trends and deliver generation-after-next military hardware’, the MoD noted in a statement.
Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence, said: ‘We are in a very real race with our adversaries for technological advantage. What we do today will lay the groundwork for decades to come. Proliferation of new technologies demands our science and technology is threat driven and better aligned to our needs in the future.’
The Science and Technology Strategy for R&D is intended to dovetail with the broader scientific ambitions of the UK government’s Research & Development Roadmap, published in July 2020, as well as the pending integrated review of defence and security capabilities.
The government hopes that these strategies will help the UK academic and industrial base to anticipate, invest in and rapidly exploit various critical technologies.
Public funds account for about 85% of UK defence R&D, so the military scientific community is financially dependent on the government – all the more so because initiatives such as the Defence and Security Accelerator are a major conduit for SMEs and academia to participate in programmes.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Defence Notes
-
What the future holds for Ukraine and NATO under a Trump administration
Although Trump’s geopolitics policy for Europe remains unclear, defence analysts from the US and Europe predict how his incoming administration would attempt to handle critical issues on the continent.
-
RUSI deputy: UK needs longer procurement plans and improved awareness of US sift to Indo-Pacific
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October was the first by a Labour government in 14 years which has also launched a review into defence procurement programmes.
-
Australia outlines longer punch and brings local industry onboard
The Australian government has placed a focus on Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) which has included the purchase of additional long-range rocket systems and investments in local production of missiles.
-
UK boosts defence budget by 5.3%, but is this enough?
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October is the first by a Labour government in 14 years. While it sees a boost in defence spending, this comes in the face of fiscal challenges and the effects of inflation.
-
UK makes big moves to fix “broken” defence procurement system ahead of major review
The changes are intended to meet greater need and deliver more value for money.
-
US companies invest in production capabilities to satisfy DoD’s hunger for cutting-edge capabilities
BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton and Lockheed Martin have been betting on new facilities and innovative manufacturing technologies to speed up the development of new solutions.