Leonardo Wins £12.5M Royal Navy IFF Deal
Leonardo UK will supply three IFF systems for Fleet Solid Support ships, plus spares and support for FSS and Type 31 frigates, under a £12.5m MoD contract.
The systems will integrate with ship sensors to boost situational awareness and prevent friendly fire.
Royal Navy Secures £25M Virtual Training Deal
The Royal Navy has awarded QinetiQ a £25m contract to deliver immersive training through the Maritime Command and Staff Trainer (MCAST). The system will simulate complex missions and threats, improving warfighting readiness.
Inzpire will design scenarios, while QinetiQ provides analysis tools, with training managed from Ports down Technology Park in Portsmouth.
MoD Prepares £10M Ballistic Testing Contract
The Ministry of Defence is seeking UK-based, UKAS-accredited facilities to provide ballistic testing for personal armour under a contract worth up to £10m over five years.
The Defence Clothing and Textiles Team will visit sites to assess standards, equipment, and safety practices ahead of the formal tender. Suppliers must register interest by 12 September 2025.
MOD Awards £4.1M Gun Mount Spares Deal
The MOD will award ISTEC Services a four-year, £4.1m contract to supply and manage spares for C6 platform gun mounts.
As sole manufacturer and distributor, ISTEC will ensure continued availability of components critical to UK Armed Forces weapon systems.
MoD Plans £168M IT Service Desk Contract
The Ministry of Defence will tender a £168m, five-year IT service desk contract from June 2027, replacing Capgemini’s £225m deal supporting 220,000 users.
The move is part of wider defence digital modernisation, including the Next Generation Communication Network to deliver a secure, agile “Digital Backbone.”
Rolls-Royce Lifts 2025 Outlook After Strong Half-Year Results
Rolls-Royce posted strong first-half 2025 results on Thursday, reporting year-on-year improvements across all key financial metrics despite supply chain and tariff challenges.
The company said its multi-year transformation program is driving higher earnings and cash generation, with continued operational and strategic progress. Strong performance in the first six months has prompted management to raise full-year guidance, with CEO Tufan Erginbilgic calling the new targets “a milestone, not a destination,” and highlighting further growth potential beyond the mid-term.
Kromek Wins £250K MoD Biosecurity Deal
County Durham-based Kromek has secured a £250,000 Ministry of Defence contract to develop biological threat detection technology. The 18-month project, funded through the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, expands Kromek’s CBRN work beyond nuclear security.
The contract reinforces Kromek’s position as a trusted UK defence partner. CEO Dr Arnab Basu said it highlights growing demand for the company’s mission-critical detection systems worldwide.
Kromek also announced over $700,000 in new international radiation detector orders, adding to recent contracts with the Home Office (£1.7m) and Siemens Healthineers ($5m).
GE Aerospace Awards CT7 Contract to Barnes UK
GE Aerospace has awarded Barnes Aerospace a six-year contract to produce T700/CT7 engine air foils at its Newton Abbot site.
The deal, the first of its kind for the facility, supports UK defence supply chain resilience and programmes like the New Medium Helicopter, while creating jobs, apprenticeships, and export opportunities.
Aurrigo Brings Autonomy to Teesside
Aurrigo has won a £1m contract to deploy its Auto-Shuttle and Auto-Dolly Tug at Teesside International Airport, marking a global first for integrating both systems in live operations.
Starting October, the Auto-Shuttle will move passengers from aircraft to terminal, with the driverless Auto-Dolly Tug for baggage and cargo following in January 2026, aiming to cut emissions and boost efficiency.
STS Defence to Supply Masts for Australian Frigates
STS Defence will deliver twin communications masts for the first three Hunter-class frigates of the Royal Australian Navy under a contract with Rohde & Schwarz Australia.
Built in the UK and based on Type 26 designs, the masts will house multiple antennas and navigation lights, with manufacturing by Mainstay Marine Solutions and first delivery expected in 2028.
Teledyne Sensors Fly on MetOp-SG-A1
Chelmsford-based Teledyne Space Imaging supplied sensors for three instruments on the MetOp-SG-A1 satellite, launched 13 August 2025 as part of the EUMETSAT–ESA weather and climate monitoring mission.
The sensors equip the Sentinel-5, METimage, and 3MI instruments, supporting global air quality, meteorology, and climate observations for the next 20 years.
UK Unveils Space Frontiers 2035 Plan
The UK Space Agency and STFC have launched Space Frontiers 2035, a roadmap to align national space science priorities in astronomy, planetary science, and Helio physics.
Modelled on the US Decadal Survey, it will engage researchers through panels, workshops, and white papers, using feasibility studies to guide UK investments and strengthen collaboration with ESA, NASA, CSA, and JAXA.
Rolls-Royce Eyes Top Spot with Nuclear-Powered AI
Rolls-Royce plans to fuel AI with its small modular reactors (SMRs), a trillion-dollar market it says could make it the UK’s most valuable firm. CEO Tufan Erginbilgic has already overseen a ten-fold share price surge since 2023, restoring profitability and cutting debt.
With SMR deals in the UK and Czech Republic and ambitions in the $1.6tn narrow-body aircraft engine market, Rolls-Royce is positioning itself at the heart of nuclear and aerospace innovation.
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