The context in which we operate has changed. The Government’s Integrated Review Refresh 2023 acknowledged that the UK is in a period of heightened risk and volatility. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine brought large-scale, high-intensity land warfare back to Europe and China increasingly has the economic, military and technological power to challenge our free and open international system.

These are just some of the reasons why Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) has refreshed our Strategy this year. We realise that our adversaries are continuously working to improve their ability to fight, and that new technology brings risks as well as opportunity. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change are being felt around the world and we face challenges shared with our supply chain, such as high inflation, skills shortages and material shortages.

Andy Start, DE&S CEO and UK National Armaments Director said:

“The world’s radically changed, as have the threats we face, so we’ve got to change too. We need to get out in front to get ahead of our adversaries today and be ready for tomorrow.”

We’ll be publishing our strategy and explaining it with our partners and allies at one of the largest international military industry events in the calendar; DSEI, in London 12 – 15 September. If you’re attending, come along and chat to us!

DE&S, and those we work alongside, make a fundamental contribution to the protection and prosperity of our nation. In the face of increasing threats, we’re being asked to do more than ever before.  By 2025, we must significantly improve the way we operate by transforming our ways of working to stay ahead of our adversaries and meet our objectives. The changes set out in our strategy will reposition DE&S, so we’re more able to respond to the evolving threat environment and make our nation a safer place.

The way we work, and how we leverage the £13 billion we spend each year with our suppliers, shapes how 148,000 people in the UK defence industry operate and perform. Delivering this strategy is a team effort and, to be at our best, we must work seamlessly with partners across the UK and our allies overseas.

Our success and the success of our armed forces will rely on this continued joint effort so we can deliver our mission of equipping our armed forces with the edge to protect our nation, as well as increasing prosperity for everyone in the country – today, tomorrow, together.

Come and see us at our stand (H2-220) at DSEI or find out more here.