Blighter wins SE Asia border-surveillance radar order
UK firm Blighter has secured a follow ateon contract from a Southeast Asian military to supply B400 ground surveillance radars, integrated with BlighterNexus AI software.
The solid-state, low power FMCW systems vehicle, trailer or tripod mounted provide up to 360° coverage and detect people/vehicles/vessels and low flying threats to 32 km, boosting situational awareness across challenging border terrain.
Babcock, WZL 1 plan Polish helicopter support & training hub
Babcock International and WZL 1 (PGZ) signed an MoU in Warsaw to develop a joint sustainment/support centre and technical training facility for Poland’s military helicopter fleet aimed at boosting readiness and domestic autonomy. The move builds on Babcock’s wider PGZ cooperation (incl.
Miecznik program) and will enable Polish industry to maintain modern helicopters and train personnel to top standards.
SSTL, CSIRO advance AquaWatch water-quality satellites
SSTL and partners (CSIRO, Stirling, Pixalytics, RAL Space, Assimila, Deloitte) are progressing AquaWatch via the UK Space Agency’s IBF, strengthening the UK–Australia Space Bridge.
The plan adds an Australian AquaWatch satellite with CSIRO’s Cyanosense hyperspectral imager to complement ESA’s NAIAD, creating a dual-satellite system that fuses EO and in-situ data for faster, more precise global water-quality monitoring, and paving the way for a follow-on build phase.
£237m contract to upgrade East Midlands Army sites
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has awarded Bovis Construction a £237m deal under the MoD’s £5.1bn Defence Estate Optimisation programme to deliver new and refurbished facilities at Kendrew Barracks and Bulwell Army Reserve Centre.
Works include single living accommodation, regimental offices, medical/catering and support infrastructure at Kendrew, plus band practice space, unit offices and secure storage at Bulwell. The project supports the relocation of 36 Engineer Regiment to Kendrew and wider estate consolidation, with construction due to begin autumn 2026.
MoD picks IBM for £320m AI equipment platform
The UK MoD has awarded £320m to IBM UK to deliver DEEAMS, an AI-enabled system replacing 17 legacy apps to manage defence equipment. Serving 65,000+ users across 130+ platforms, DEEAMS will provide real-time, predictive maintenance, stock and planning data targeting £1bn+ in benefits and creating 100 UK jobs.
The deal underpins the MoD’s digital transformation set out in the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy, amid plans to lift defence spend to 2.6% of GDP by 2027.
MoD awards £19.7m to sustain RAF’s NEXUS Air Info Platform
The UK MoD has selected SixWorks for a £19.68m contract to sustain and expand the NEXUS-to-Core (N2C) Air Information Platform a cloud data fabric linking sensors/effectors for faster aircrew decisions.
The award extends work begun under Titan II (2021), onboarding new data sources, users and allied networks, and maintaining bespoke interfaces that underpin interoperability with Army ZODIAC, Navy StrikeNet, NATO’s Data Fabric, and the USAF’s ABMS.
UK joins CAVS Babcock–Patria pursue 6×6 option
Britain has joined the seven-nation CAVS programme, with Babcock and Patria signing an MoU to tailor the Patria 6×6 for the Army boosting interoperability and local industry. Any buy will follow the UK’s formal procurement process.
MoD: Harland & Wolff fit to deliver on FSS
Responding in the Lords, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said Harland & Wolff was assessed as capable before the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) award to Navantia UK, which includes H&W as a strategic subcontractor.
All three ships will be built from blocks made in H&W’s UK yards and Navantia’s Spanish yards, with final assembly/integration in Belfast.
About £100m is being invested to modernise the Belfast yard, following H&W’s insolvency, Navantia UK has assumed control of its four yards and work has resumed.
JFD to deliver advanced medical monitoring for NATO sub rescue
JFD Global will provide the UK Submarine Delivery Agency a new medical monitoring system for the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS), expanding capacity from 4 to up to 76 patients plus medics.
The modular platform combines wearables (HR, stress, fatigue, core temp), diagnostics (ECG, ultrasound) and critical-care equipment, with real-time data to onboard and shore teams via satellite speeding triage and improving outcomes.
Designed for NSRS, it can integrate across escape/rescue, recompression chambers, and other defence/commercial diving operations.
DASA launches PYRAMID Phase 2
DASA opens PYRAMID Phase 2 to speed adoption of the RAF’s modular avionics PYRAMID Reference Architecture across new and legacy systems. Up to £3m available, bids due 25 Nov 2025 (midday GMT).
Dstl will support reviews, with priority on supplier collaboration and demonstrable benefits.
UK veterans fuel Europe’s defence-tech boom minds the gaps
European defence-tech VC hits a record $1.5bn in 2025, led by UK veteran-founded startups.
But Europe still trails in space launch (12% of global VC) and AI chips (6%), while the US provides 85% of NATO allies’ defence funding. Germany leads (boosted by Helsing’s €600m), with UK hubs close behind.
UK invests £4.4m in next-gen aviation
Government funding via Innovate UK’s Future Flight will scale drones, zero-emission/VTOL tech and high-skill jobs.
Backed projects include heavy-lift drones for restoration, London Health Bridge’s jump to 50k monthly medical deliveries, and a Scottish offshore cargo-drone pilot alongside wider R&D, ATI funding and a SAF bill for cleaner flights.
MoD outlines £550m Tactical Comms support
The UK MoD plans a £550m (ex-VAT) TCLS contract (Feb 2028–Feb 2033, +2-yr option) covering spares, repairs, warehousing and stock management for tactical C3 systems, with the supplier forecasting demand and advising purchases.
Market engagement starts with a virtual supplier conference on 16 Oct 2025 (registration closes 9 Oct), attendance limits may apply but won’t affect future tendering.
UKSA funds 23 global space projects
£6.5m backs 23 UK-led collaborations (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Lithuania, USA) spanning EO/water, deep-space radar, in-orbit manufacturing, SDA/ISAM, lunar/Mars imaging, biotech/med, and next-gen comms boosting capability and growth ahead of UKSA’s move into DSIT in 2026.
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