UK Defense News

Recent industry report about UK Defense company news, including latest market trends and industry updates in 2024. This sector news is compiled by Mordor Intelligence™ UK Defense Market industry experts.

UK Defense News

March 2024: The UK signed a contract worth USD 700 million with a defense shipbuilder, Babcock, for a major refit of HMS Victorious, one of Britain's four Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.

November 2023: The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) placed a new USD 25 million order with BAE Systems to supply additional small arms munitions over the next two years.

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  • February 2024: Haryana Police became the first Indian police force to employ tear gas drones. These drones, crafted by Haryana's Drone Imaging and Information Service, were instrumental in dispersing protesting farmers at the Shambhu Barrier on the Punjab-Haryana border.
  • January 2024: Wrap Technologies, headquartered in Arizona, unveiled its BolaWrap product, underscoring its non-lethal design. Resembling a taser, this device uses a Kevlar cord to restrain and temporarily restrict an individual's movement.

November 2023: Northrop Grumman Corporation completed thermal vacuum tests on the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM), a two-satellite constellation designed to deliver broadband communications to Northern Polar for the US Space Force and Space Norway.

February 2023: The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency awarded Maxar Technologies a five-year contract worth USD 192 million to provide commercial satellite imagery to the US allies. Maxar will also provide three-dimensional data services to the allies.

March 2024: The UK signed a contract worth USD 700 million with a defense shipbuilder, Babcock, for a major refit of HMS Victorious, one of Britain's four Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.

November 2023: The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) placed a new USD 25 million order with BAE Systems to supply additional small arms munitions over the next two years.

February 2024: the USAF announced its plans to procure 26 E-7s from Boeing by 2032 to replace its aging E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft fleet.

January 2024: Lockheed Martin Corporation announced that it plans to deliver 75 to 110 F-35s to the US in 2024. About 90% of the F-35s to be delivered in 2024 are in TR-3 configuration.

  • February 2024: Lockheed Martin Corporation signed a contract with Indra to equip the four Multi-Mission Surface Combat Ships (MMSCs). It will be delivered to the Royal Saudi Arabian Navy with an advanced electronic defense system capable of detecting the presence of any platform and classifying it by threat level.
  • December 2023: The US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia of RE-3A Tactical Airborne Surveillance System (TASS) aircraft modernization and related equipment for USD 582 million. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) stated that Saudi Arabian defense forces requested to purchase hardware and software modifications to modernize its fleet of RE-3A TASS aircraft.

In December 2023, Lockheed Martin Corporation supported governmental testing of the Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare (AOEW) system’s electronic attack capabilities which has been installed on an MH-60R helicopter belonging to the US Army.

In November 2023, BAE Systems plc announced that they are in the process of developing custom microelectronics for the next-generation radar, electronic warfare, and communication applications. Moreover, the FAST Labs research and development organization, which is part of BAE Systems plc, was awarded a USD 5 million contract by the US Office of Naval Research for the Common-architecture Amplifier for Low-cost, Efficient, SWaP-Constrained Environments (COALESCE) program under which Fast Labs will develop advanced Gallium Nitride based monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) and module electronics.

  • In April 2022, the Armed Forces of Senegal signed a contract with Nexter to supply 8 105 LG guns and 105 mm ammunition. The 105LG is a 105 mm towed artillery gun known for its reliability and unmatched lightness (1,650 kg) and can be used in extreme climates and difficult terrains.
  • In March 2022, the Hungarian Ministry of Defense contracted with Rheinmetall to supply an extensive package of ammunition worth several hundred million euros. The order includes 120 mm tank ammunition and 155 mm artillery shells, including propelling charges and fuses.
  • February 2024: Haryana Police became the first Indian police force to employ tear gas drones. These drones, crafted by Haryana's Drone Imaging and Information Service, were instrumental in dispersing protesting farmers at the Shambhu Barrier on the Punjab-Haryana border.
  • January 2024: Wrap Technologies, headquartered in Arizona, unveiled its BolaWrap product, underscoring its non-lethal design. Resembling a taser, this device uses a Kevlar cord to restrain and temporarily restrict an individual's movement.

June 2024: OMNI Air Taxi (OMNI), South America's leading operator of Leonardo AW139 helicopters, awarded a significant contract to Honeywell International Inc. The agreement entails the upgradation of OMNI's 31 AW139s with Honeywell’s state-of-the-art IntuVue RDR-7000 Weather Radar System.

June 2023: Indonesia enhanced its airspace surveillance capabilities by procuring 13 long-range military radars from THALES. Opting for THALES' Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400a), boasting a 515-kilometer range, Indonesia highlighted its appeal for integrating artificial intelligence, a feature streamlining data management.

June 2024: Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a part of the SATS Group, bolstered its collaboration with American Airlines in Europe. This partnership was solidified through a fresh cargo handling contract in Copenhagen. The move aimed to facilitate American Airlines' new daily Boeing 787 flights, connecting Denmark to its transatlantic hub in Philadelphia. WFS's role in Europe already encompasses managing American Airlines' escalating cargo operations in key countries, including France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

February 2024: Menzies Aviation inked a significant deal with Air Serbia. The agreement, marking Menzies' largest venture in Eastern Europe, kicked off in February 2024. As part of this deal, Menzies' local teams are set to oversee over 22,000 turns at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport in the inaugural year.

UK Defence Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)