UK Armed Forces are better equipped for ever-evolving global security threats, as the construction of the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) new state-of-the-art storage facility at Longtown in Cumbria is complete.

Known as the Longtown Defence Storage Facility (LDSF), the £98.5M facility is managed by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the procurement arm of the MOD, and marks a strategic improvement in enhancing the UK’s defence readiness and resilience, whilst streamlining and strengthening supply chain operations and significantly increasing departmental storage.

At 76,000m², the warehouse will provide safe and secure storage for a broad range of mission-critical operational materiel and inventory, such as large spare parts used by the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

The Longtown site will also ensure assets and capabilities at existing Defence Fulfilment Centres in Donnington, Shropshire and Bicester, Oxfordshire are more readily available to meet surges in demand, optimising support and delivery to those on the frontline when they need it most.

The build project, which was delivered on time, has employed more than 450 people, and the new site will provide up to 25 permanent jobs for the region. Those working at the warehouse will ensure this new facility provides a capability that is crucial in supporting Armed Forces who are deployed overseas, or responding to humanitarian needs abroad.

During a recent handover event, a symbolic large key was passed from McLaughlin & Harvey – the construction and civil engineering company responsible for the build – to DE&S which runs the site in partnership with Leidos and supply chain specialists Kuehne + Nagel, known collectively as Team Leidos.

Pictured L-R in front of the new site: Aiden Ewing, Trainee Site Manager at McLaughlin & Harvey; Les Millar, Project Director at DE&S; Andy Morris, Assistant Head Commissioning and Management Organisation at DE&S; Ross Bannerman, Chief Operations Officer at Team Leidos and Brian Franklin, Director of Operations at Kuehne & Nagel

Les Millar, DE&S Logistics, Services and Commodities (LSC) Head of Strategy and Special Projects, said:

“The completion of the build phase of the MOD’s Longtown Defence Storage Facility marks a leap forward in our storage of materiel to support all parts of the armed forces, giving us a state of the art environmentally efficient facility to store significant amount of parts and spares for Defence platforms, enabling us to be better prepared for the military threats faced, both today and for the foreseeable future.”

The contract for the construction of the site awarded by DE&S to McLaughlin & Harvey supported approximately 150 highly skilled jobs in Scotland and a further 300 in the North of England, helping to grow the economy on both sides of the border.

Paul Griffen, McLaughlin & Harvey Managing Director, said:

“The successful completion of a 76,000m² warehouse within the Ministry of Defence’s national storage network wasn’t just another build – it was the delivery of critical national infrastructure within a live, high-security environment.

“Our team worked in close partnership with all stakeholders, ensuring minimal disruption to the daily operations of the base. This project highlights our capability in the defence sector and ongoing commitment to supporting the United Kingdom’s armed forces to remain ready, responsive and resilient.”

Designed with sustainability and long-term resilience in mind, the facility incorporates modern construction methods, high-performance materials and energy-efficient systems – supporting operational effectiveness and contributing to the MOD’s Net Zero ambitions.

The new facility uses green technologies and practices, including energy-efficient lighting, automated climate control and recyclable packaging solutions. There will also be a dedicated nature reserve areas and rainwater will be recycled for washroom facilities.

The on-site rail network has also been enhanced as a result of the project. This is to enable materiel to be moved in and out of LDSF easily and distributed via the national network to other MOD sites, helping to reduce costs, lorry journeys and emissions.

Day-to-day operations will now be managed by Team Leidos and overseen by DE&S, with an official opening ceremony planned for later in the year.

Simon Hutchings, Vice President Logistics and Mission Support, Leidos UK & Europe, said:

“As the delivery partner for the MOD’s Logistics Commodities and Services Transformation (LCST) programme, Team Leidos is proud to be bringing much-needed resiliency to the Defence storage network at the point in time when the MOD is working to place the UK strategic base at the heart of its warfighting posture.

“Working collaboratively with Kuehne+Nagel, DE&S and the MOD’s contractors MCLH, the new facility at Longtown is a key milestone in this transformation – enhancing resilience, operational readiness, and efficiency across the Defence supply chain. We look forward to optimising the network and generating a more responsive support solution for the UK’s Armed Forces.”