Defence News – Early June 2025
Estimated reading time 3 minutes
The UK will build at least six new munitions and energetics factories and thousands more long-range weapons to strengthen Britain’s Armed Forces and create new jobs across the country.
Through the Strategic Defence Review – published in the coming days – the UK’s defence and deterrence is being bolstered with thousands of long-range weapons and a new £1.5 billion government investment in munitions and energetics factories.
Together the investment will back around 1,800 highly skilled jobs across the UK, putting money in the pockets of working people, and supporting the government’s Plan for Change by driving growth in every region and nation.
The Prime Minister will announce tomorrow that the UK’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet will be significantly expanded, with up to 12 new SSN-AUKUS boats to be built.
The increase in submarines will transform the UK’s submarine building industry and, following the £15 billion investment in the warhead programme outlined, will deliver on this government’s Plan for Change, supporting 30,000 highly skilled jobs up-and-down the country well into the 2030s, as well as helping work to deliver 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next ten years. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-expand-submarine-programme-in-response-to-strategic-defence-review?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=64c617e8-12a8-4cdb-8cef-288704f0dd37&utm_content=daily ___
G3 Systems Limited has won a major new contract to supply the Netherlands Ministry of Defence with circa 700 flatracks and containers, as part of their Wissellaadsystemen, Trekker-opleggercombinaties and WielBergingsvoertuigen (WTB) programme.
The contract is worth €100m and consists of a 30-month delivery phase followed by a 15-year support phase. https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/british-based-g3-systems-wins-e100m-netherlands-mod-contract/
NP Aerospace, a Coventry-based defence manufacturer, is set to accelerate its global growth with a multi-million-pound funding package from NatWest. This support, which includes a Trade Finance Facility backed by UK Export Finance and capital investment from Lombard, is expected to help the company expand into new international markets and create jobs.
With nearly 100 years of history in Coventry, NP Aerospace employs 380 people worldwide, including 300 in the UK.
The business recently broadened its capabilities by acquiring assets from Jankel Armouring, enhancing its portfolio to include tactical and civilian armoured vehicles, armour technologies, seating systems, and through-life support services. https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/2098389-multi-million-pound-funding-package-arms-defence-manufacturer-for-global-growth?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WestMidlands_4th_Jun_2025_Daily
The government has pledged £426m of investment towards works at steel producer Sheffield Forgemasters. It says this extra funding for the site will create 900 construction jobs. Plans to build a new 323,000 sq. ft plant at the facility, which will be operational by 2028, gained consent earlier this year.
The government has stressed Sheffield Forgemasters will be “crucial” to delivering the plans set out in the UK’s Strategic Defence Revenue, as the firm restarts manufacturing for artillery gun barrels. It is the first time these barrels have been produced by the UK in decades. https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/yorkshire/news/2140059-426m-committed-to-steel-works-to-beef-up-defence-manufacturing-capability?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Yorkshire_11th_Jun_2025_Daily
