Who we are
The UK and our allies face increasing threats to our security and way of life. Our armed forces protect us from these threats, but they can only do that if they have the right equipment and support to carry out their duties. That’s where we come in.
Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) is proud to deliver world-class equipment and support services to the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. We play a critical role in keeping our nation safe and prosperous, making sure the front-lines have the right kit at the right time.
“Few organisations have a higher collective purpose than ours – to protect our nation, our territories and our allies. Together with our industry partners, we continue to provide essential support to global defence operations.”
— Andy Start, DE&S CEO
What we do
As an arm’s length body of the Ministry of Defence, we negotiate and manage defence contracts on behalf of the UK Armed Forces.
From fighter jets to food deliveries, from patrol boats to protective clothing, we deliver effective and innovative kit to our front-line forces, swiftly and safely. Our teams make sure every item is properly sourced, stored and maintained, and every contract represents value for money for the taxpayer.
We are also responsible for decommissioning and disposal when equipment reaches the end of its service life. We provide critical services to support operational outputs such as Defence Munitions sites across the UK, the British Forces Post Office, and Salvage and Marine Operations.
How we work
As a defence acquisition organisation, we work closely with the UK Armed Forces and the global defence industry, as well as the Ministry of Defence and other government departments.
We work as ‘One Defence’ to deliver a large, often complex programme of work that provides equipment and support to the UK’s armed forces.
Working with Defence
Our defence industrial supply chain is just as critical to keeping our nation safe as our UK armed forces on the front-line.
We work with businesses, ranging from large, established international companies to small, specialist niche providers, to help us deliver on our mission.
Our people
There’s no other organisation like DE&S; none with our unique blend of military and civilian expertise, skills and commitment to national defence. We employ over 12,500 talented civil servants and military personnel across more than 150 locations around the world.
Our unique armoury of expertise includes commercial negotiation, engineering, project management, product design and cutting-edge emergent technology. Together, we provide our clients with a highly specialised, professional service and deliver more than half of the UK’s largest and most complex equipment projects.
Meet the people behind our programmes.
We are powered by our people. Our teams are key to each successful delivery and every person in DE&S plays a crucial part in our success. Meet the talented civil servants and military personnel behind our programmes.
Join a world-class team today.
DE&S is made up of eight functions, each supporting its own strand of the organisation. Each function offers professional development and flexibility to our people – and assurance to our clients that we have the scale and expertise to deliver on any project.
Culture and inclusion at DE&S.
We are committed to making every employee feel respected, valued and accepted. We all play a part in this and contribute to it in our daily actions.
Corporate information
DE&S is sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. We are governed by our CEO, Executive Committee, and the Board of Non-Executive Directors. Find out more about DE&S by reading our most recent corporate documents and read about our corporate governance here.
