Defence companies in the UK
The UK defence tech ecosystem stretches from London's AI-focused cluster through Cambridge's quantum and radar corridor to Plymouth's naval autonomy hub. AI and defence software is the largest sector, followed by sensors and electronic warfare, drones and counter-drone systems. Defence spending is set to reach £73.5 billion by 2028/29 under a 2.5 % of GDP commitment, and over £4 billion is earmarked for autonomous systems. The startup layer has grown rapidly since 2022, building the products that primes and the MOD are buying.
Sectors in the UK
All Defence Companies in the UK
UK defence software company building Cobalt, an AI-powered mission orchestration platform for autonomous systems, C-UAS, recce-strike and hybrid naval operations.
Applies decision intelligence to government, defence and critical infrastructure, combining simulation, digital twins and AI agents in a platform called Faculty Frontier.
Develops quiet, safe electric propulsion systems and jet engines for aircraft including drones, air taxis, and regional aircraft to accelerate sustainable aviation.
Runs a distributed network of precision factories powered by MasonOS, its proprietary software platform, manufacturing high-precision components for aerospace, defence and critical industries.
Builds AI-powered command and control systems for counter-drone defence, maritime security and critical infrastructure protection, deployed at over 60 sites worldwide.
Develops ultra-low Earth orbit satellites and ion propulsion systems to bring higher-resolution imaging, direct-to-device connectivity and weather intelligence closer to Earth.
Builds quantum networking hardware that connects quantum processors into distributed computing architectures, enabling commercial-scale quantum computing.
Builds counter-drone net capture systems and autonomous electro-optical targeting platforms for military and government security operations.
Builds physics simulation platforms that use machine learning to accelerate engineering design for aerospace and defence applications.
Quaisr builds a SimOps platform that connects simulations, live data and AI for physics-grounded decision-making in defence, aerospace and other complex engineering environments.
Designs and manufactures edge computing, sensing and communications systems for defence, national security and resilience organisations operating in degraded or denied connectivity environments.
Designs memory-safe semiconductors with post-quantum cryptography for securing servers, edge devices and critical infrastructure against both current and quantum-era threats.
Builds multi-link satellite communication terminals that connect simultaneously to multiple satellite networks and orbits from a single device, for defence and government applications.
Builds miniaturised cold atom quantum hardware for GPS-independent navigation, timing and sensing in defence, telecoms and critical infrastructure.
Builds modelling and simulation software for strategic decision-making, creating synthetic environments and digital twins for defence and national security customers.
Builds edge AI camera systems and GPS-denied autonomy software for small drones, enabling security teams and military units to operate in environments where cloud connectivity and external infrastructure cannot be relied on.
Builds synthetic environment software for military training, command and control, and battlefield intelligence for armed forces worldwide.
Adaptive human risk management platform that uses behavioral science and data to detect and reduce cybersecurity risks caused by employee behavior.
Integrated risk management and analytics company focused on managing digital vulnerabilities inherent in third-party ecosystems. CyDesk platform uses AI and machine learning to automatically evaluate risks from over 900 data sources for cybersecurity, compliance, and business risk management.
Scotland-based developer of autonomous counter-UAS drones, building the Red Kite fixed-wing drone hunter with patented net capture mechanism and the Shadow Hawk aerial defence platform for critical national infrastructure protection.
Automated AI red teaming and security testing. First company to apply dynamic application security testing methodology to AI systems.
Builds Mastermind, an edge-native agentic AI box that turns cheap third-party drones into coordinated autonomous squads operating in denied environments. Raised $2.1M pre-seed in 2026 led by Seraphim Space with backing from the UK National Security Strategic Investment Fund.
Builds brain-inspired autonomous AI software for robots and drones, using Active Inference and the Free Energy Principle to enable adaptive decision-making on edge devices without large training datasets.
Technology company building Axiom, a secure workforce management platform that helps organizations verify, support, and pay their globally dispersed teams while managing operations at scale.
Builds radio frequency-based drone detection systems and signals intelligence sensors for airports, military, prisons and critical infrastructure operators.
Earth observation company providing the world's highest resolution commercial thermal imagery from satellites to monitor climate change, energy efficiency, and economic activity with 3.5m resolution thermal data.
UK-based company providing a Generative AI Synthetic Data Cloud platform that creates fully annotated synthetic data and trains computer vision algorithms at scale for various industries.
UK defence training technology company building data-enabled military training systems, smart facilities, robotic targets and UAS simulation for tactical readiness.
52 North Health is a University of Cambridge spin-out developing advanced medical devices for nuclear emergency preparedness. Selected for NATO DIANA, their ARC™ product strengthens medical resilience capability, enabling remote triaging and treatment monitoring of those at risk of radiation sickness.
Designs and operates the Pioneer-class small waterplane area twin hull USV for anti-submarine warfare, maritime ISR and critical national infrastructure monitoring, becoming the UK's first Remotely Operated Unmanned Vessel certified under Workboat Code 3 in 2025.
Builds AI software that processes vast amounts of open-source and classified information to deliver intelligence analysis for defence, national security and commercial organisations.
UK leader in AI safety, security, and assurance providing testing, evaluation, and monitoring of AI systems. Works with UK Government's AI Safety Institute and Ministry of Defence to identify AI vulnerabilities and enable safe AI deployment in critical defence environments.
Full-stack photonic quantum computing company developing quantum technologies for defence, aerospace, cybersecurity and communications applications. Provides quantum computing platforms, quantum communication systems, and quantum cryptography solutions.
Developer of modular military aircraft systems featuring common core fuselage with interchangeable components for training and operational roles. Creates advanced jet trainers, basic trainers, and light attack variants with digital engineering and reconfigurable avionics.
UK counter-UAS company building HARK acoustic sensors that detect, classify and localise drones with edge processing and passive battlefield acoustic arrays.
Builds quantum-safe encryption software that protects government, defence and telecoms networks from current cyber threats and future quantum computing attacks.
Atheras Analytics develops AI software for resilient satellite networks, forecasting outages and optimising ground-segment and gateway decisions for mission-critical satcom operations.
London defence startup building Chimaera counter-UCAV autonomous defence system, Arachnet jam-resistant tactical mesh network, and QCER RF energy-harvesting module. Selected for NATO DIANA 2026 cohort in advanced communications.
Specializes in photonic, laser, fiber-optic and electrical/electronic solutions for aerospace, defence and space harsh environments. Provides high-quality engineered photonic solutions including fiber optic cable assemblies, free space optics, and optical components.
Develops OT and industrial control system cybersecurity products including Dot (asset discovery), Care (risk assessment) and Optics (pre-incident threat vector analysis) for critical national infrastructure operators. Spun out of Cardiff University research and selected for the AWS European Defence Accelerator.
Space manufacturing company developing hardware for large-scale crystallization of protein drugs in microgravity. While primarily focused on pharmaceuticals, their space manufacturing capabilities and orbital operations have potential dual-use applications.
Designs and manufactures electronic-scanning ground-based radar systems for land, coastal and aerial threat surveillance.
Blueprint Subsea develops compact underwater acoustic sensors, imaging sonars, acoustic positioning beacons and diver navigation systems for subsea and defence markets.
UK UAS developer designing, prototyping and manufacturing uncrewed aerial systems, avionics and mission platforms for civil and military customers in contested environments.
Interceptor missile systems including Skyhammer and Starhammer. Advanced missile defence and interception technology.
UK developer of radar signal processing, tracking and display software used by defence and maritime system integrators, supporting a wide range of modern and legacy radars with hardware-agnostic SDKs. Serves naval, air and security customers worldwide.
AI quoting platform for manufacturers, extracting materials and pricing inputs directly from CAD files and drawings. Selected by UK Digital Catapult and National Composites Centre for the Defence Testbed Accelerator to make defence Technical Data Packs securely discoverable across distributed additive manufacturing supply chains.
UK defence technology SME building data-driven training, performance analytics and decision-support products for military organisations at the tactical edge.
UK defence systems company designing electro-optical surveillance, targeting, fire-control and counter-UAS systems for land, maritime and air-defence missions.
Covert surveillance optics spun out of Dstl in 2007, manufacturing intrusive surveillance lenses capable of imaging through pinholes as small as 0.3mm, plus long-range pan-tilt-zoom systems for defence and law enforcement.
Dstl spin-out making SonarBell, an omni-directional passive sonar reflector used for asset and location marking, sonar testing and performance checking. Battery-free with no electronics for underwater defence applications.
Craft Prospect builds small-satellite systems, onboard AI and quantum-secure space technologies for secure, autonomous space missions.
Cambridge Radio Frequency Systems designs RF sensors and spectrum-monitoring software for defence and national security, built around the RFeye Node sensor that covers up to 40 GHz. Over 4,600 sensors deployed across 319 organisations on six continents.
UK data and AI startup developing MIRA AI for natural language querying across disparate enterprise datasets. Selected for Digital Catapult's Defence Testbed Accelerator with the MoD to build secure Technical Data Pack connectors for defence supply chains.
Delivers safety-related control, instrumentation and mission systems for UK nuclear facilities and defence platforms across naval, air and land domains.
Caithness-based engineering firm designing rugged lithium-ion battery systems for the global defence industry, with 20+ years supplying the military. Key products include the BB2590 smart battery and 6T lithium-ion vehicle battery.
Multi-use technology company developing closed-source intelligence systems and threat detection platforms, focusing on OSINT capabilities and situational awareness solutions.
Domo Tactical Communications develops tactical wireless communications, MANET networking and video links for defence, public safety, unmanned systems and mission-critical operations.
UK counter-drone company building the Crown, a sub-100-gram 3D-printed FPV drone attachment that physically captures rogue multirotor drones mid-air without jamming or pyrotechnics. Patents pending in the UK, Hong Kong, EU and US.
Drone Defence develops counter-drone and airspace security systems for protected sites, combining drone detection, tracking, identification and defeat technologies.
Commercial geospatial intelligence company that applies AI and machine learning to multi-operator satellite imagery to deliver decision-ready insights to industry and government. Selected for the AWS European Defence Accelerator and based in Guildford, Surrey.
Scottish UAS specialist that designs, manufactures and trains on drone and counter-drone systems, most recently launching the HAMMER fixed-wing attack drone with Aero Solutions for UK and allied forces. Operates a manufacturing and test facility in Haddington, East Lothian.
UK specialist in energetic materials, pyrotechnic mechanisms and blast mitigation. Designs and manufactures cable cutters, actuators, gas generators and rocket motors used in defence applications including ejector seats, parachute deployment and breacher grenades developed with Dstl.
Dstl spin-out building Micro ESM electronic support measures sensors that automatically identify and track radar signals. Miniaturised radar detection small enough to be hand-carried or mounted on light UAVs.
Designs and manufactures rugged uncrewed aerial systems for ISR, with platforms proven on Ukraine's frontline and in service with UK armed forces and emergency responders.
Develops GPS-free inertial navigation and flight termination systems for drones and crewed aircraft, including the SnapShot nano-drone funded by a £226,200 DASA contract. ITAR-free UK sovereign capability accredited to ISO 9001.
UK drone technology and training company behind JACKAL, a military UAS platform designed for rapid, affordable deployment by government and defence users.
Develops next-generation navigation and positioning software using Supercorrelation technology to enhance GNSS accuracy for smartphones, wearables and autonomous vehicles.
Forcys develops underwater defence technology, bringing together sonar, maritime sensing and autonomous-system expertise for naval and subsea security missions.
Cybersecurity company that provides physical network disconnection technology through the FireBreak platform, enabling remote control of network connectivity without using the internet for ultimate protection against cyber threats.
Gravity Industries develops human flight technology including jet suits, creating the ultimate freedom of true personal flight experiences.
Specializes in neuromorphic computing and AI to enable fully autonomous drones and robots using optimization-driven AI that mimics human neural networks.
Builds drone-in-a-box systems that let organisations deploy, recover and recharge drones autonomously, with remote mission control from anywhere in the world.
Aberdeen subsea robotics company developing uncrewed underwater deployment platforms, Loggerhead systems and cloud-edge control software for offshore operations.
UK's leading compound semiconductor development and fabrication company, manufacturing advanced devices for defence, communications, and energy applications.
Inzpire provides defence training, mission systems and operational support for military aviation, battlespace management and synthetic training programmes.
UK sovereign uncrewed systems company designing aerial and land platforms for defence, security and critical infrastructure missions in contested and GPS-denied environments.
UK radiation detection and shielding manufacturer, co-developer with AWE of the GMS595 gamma dose-rate monitor — the most sensitive gamma monitor available, cutting CBRN response time from two minutes to two seconds.
Maritime connectivity company building AI-driven 5G mesh networks for offshore, autonomous and contested environments. Selected for NATO DIANA Mission Track in 2026.
Builds chip-based quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum random number generation (QRNG) hardware for securing defence, telecoms and critical infrastructure against quantum-era threats.
UK defence technology company building cyber electromagnetic activity, counter-UAS, counter-IED and electronic countermeasure systems for military and security customers.
British company developing disruptive maritime capabilities including advanced littoral, surface, and subsurface autonomous platforms for defence and commercial applications using cutting-edge composite materials and rapid prototyping.
UK radiation and bio-detection technology company providing CBRN detection, handheld RIIDs, UAV radiation monitoring and security products for defence and homeland security users.
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Leading exposed data intelligence platform with Gen AI Agents for threat detection that continuously monitors for exposed data and provides high fidelity intelligence for cybersecurity risk management.
Landguard Systems designs and manufactures specialist ISTAR radio systems, tracking devices and software-defined radios for government, defence and law-enforcement customers.
Designs and manufactures bespoke lithium-ion batteries and charging systems for military platforms, EOD robots, unmanned systems and defence prime contractors across NATO.
UK counter-drone company building the Air Intelligence System with PDAR passive RF detection (70 MHz to 6 GHz), Hera long-range cameras, Apollo acoustic direction finding, and Orion autonomous drone defeat effectors. Clients include the British Royal Navy, MOD and Civil Aviation Authority.
Lodestar Space develops autonomous space-security systems for protecting high-value satellites and supporting orbital defence missions.
Builds metal-propellant electric plasma thrusters for satellite manoeuvring, rendezvous operations and in-space logistics.
UK heavy-lift UAS manufacturer building all-electric VTOL logistics drones for military, government and commercial missions, including battlefield resupply and last-mile operations.
Maritime autonomy software for uncrewed surface vessels, including GuardianAI for defence applications. Technology powered the Mayflower Autonomous Ship's transatlantic crossing and is used by Plymouth's USV cluster.
UK defence supplier providing intelligence collection, communications, electronic warfare, tactical systems and uncrewed systems technology to armed forces and police users.
Metahelios develops highly advanced cameras for defence and space applications using optical metasurfaces. The company is the first and only in the world to design and manufacture metasurface-integrated camera solutions, collaborating with the UK Ministry of Defence on imaging nanotechnologies for surveillance and material classification.
MGI Engineering's defence division applying Formula 1 rapid prototyping and lightweight composite expertise to autonomous platforms. Builds one-way effectors, heavy-lift UAVs, and the SkyShark drone that first flew in July 2025.
UK uncrewed systems specialist delivering the DART 250 one-way attack drone under a £7.5 million MoD contract. The system has a 250 km range and flies in terrain-following mode at 400+ km/h for land and maritime strike missions.
Designs, builds and operates manned and unmanned submersibles for military and commercial markets, including extra-large autonomous test submarines awarded a £1 million DASA contract for the Royal Navy. Operates from Plymouth with a sister facility in Round Rock, Texas.
UK survivability technology company manufacturing personal armour, ballistic protection, platform survivability systems, composite armour and military vehicle integration solutions.
Builds AI-powered airport and national infrastructure security screening products including Deeper Scan electronic-device validation and NexuSec natural-language CCTV search. Developed Deeper Scan with £80,000 DASA funding and Dstl technical support.
London defence tech startup building OccamX, a retrofit computer-vision autopilot for FPV drones that enables autonomous target tracking without GPS or continuous manual control. Raised €3M pre-seed and approved for Ukrainian Brave1 integration testing.
Develops layered integrated security solutions and counter-drone technologies for critical site protection. Specializes in AI-powered threat detection systems.
UK counter-UAS defence startup developing modular, open-architecture aerospace defence systems with AI-driven drone detection, tracking and layered response capabilities.
British defence technology company pioneering design, engineering and manufacture of unmanned aerial systems and precision strike payloads for defence applications.
AI and robotics company developing human-like artificial intelligence solutions for defence, space and security sectors, including AVIS AI platform and STRIDER autonomous robots.
UK combat engineering company building armoured vehicle attachments, minefield breaching equipment, route-proving systems and robotics for battlefield mobility and survivability.
Plextek provides advanced engineering and technology development for defence applications, including sensing, communications and mission-critical electronics.
Award-winning quantum technology spinout from Oxford University developing quantum random number generators (QRNGs) that provide verifiably secure random numbers for cybersecurity applications.
Scotland-based defence AI company with the Deep Truth machine learning framework, the SkySpyke 360-degree passive counter-drone detection system, the WiSAD passive RF surveillance detector and the MASC AI-generated adaptive camouflage pattern generator.
Stirling-based SME producing lightweight, ballistic and blast-rated modular building blocks made from 100% recycled polypropylene. Awarded a £238,000 DASA contract with the UK MoD for force protection and vehicle checkpoint infrastructure.
Raptor Photonics designs and manufactures specialist CCD, CMOS, SWIR and VIS-SWIR camera systems for surveillance, space, scientific and industrial OEM applications.
London cybersecurity company building AI models for reverse engineering and binary analysis to verify compiled software, firmware and third-party artifacts for defence and enterprise teams.
Lancaster-based secure communications and detection specialist delivering voice, data and real-time connectivity systems for defence, emergency response and critical infrastructure.
Incident modelling consultancy building CBRN hazard, cyber attack, and disease dispersion simulation platforms for UK MoD, Dstl, and government agencies. Ploughshare spin-out commercialising Dstl research.
Provides drone detection services and autonomous defence solutions including counter-UAS systems, with global defence networks spanning 40+ countries.
Develops VOYAGER AI maritime autonomy software that converts crewed vessels into uncrewed surface vessels with IMO Degree 4 autonomy, sold to government and defence customers. Opened Southampton UK headquarters in 2025 with offices in USA, Canada and India.
Roke builds defence and security technologies across AI, autonomy, cyber, secure communications and electromagnetic-spectrum operations.
Scanna MSC develops portable security X-ray systems and mailroom screening equipment for counter-terrorism, law-enforcement, defence and EOD threat-detection applications.
UK builder of remotely controlled uncrewed surface vessels with defence and security configurations for maritime missions that reduce personnel risk at sea.
SeeByte develops software for uncrewed and autonomous maritime systems, including mine-countermeasure toolboxes, mission autonomy and target-recognition systems.
Laser-based shot detection and positioning system for military rifles, enabling instant sniper location identification. DASA-funded.
Develops high-precision MEMS inertial and gravity sensors for navigation, aerospace, defence, and subsurface exploration applications.
Sirius Insight develops AI-enabled maritime surveillance and decision-support systems for monitoring coastal, port and offshore environments.
Hardware-based ultra-low-latency encryption for data in motion, including the SAFE Series delivering 200 Gbps full duplex throughput and post-quantum crypto-agility. Raised £7.5M Series A in 2025 and supplies government, critical infrastructure, and telecom networks.
Slipstream Design develops advanced RF and digital signal processing systems for defence, security, telecommunications, and space. Their flagship ASTRO platform is an ultra-wideband adaptive radio processor delivering resilient sensing and communication technology for mission-critical operations in contested electromagnetic environments.
UK space domain awareness startup delivering real-time optical space intelligence from a sensor network and AI-driven platform for governments and satellite operators.
UK tactical communications company building secure, resilient and deployable communications systems including SlingShot and GENSS for modern battlespace users.
SPX Communication Technologies develops spectrum monitoring, tactical COMINT, RF jamming, maritime RDF and counter-UAS capabilities for defence and security environments.
UK counter-UAV manufacturer producing the NightFighter family of portable and vehicle-mounted RF jammers, effective against UAVs at ranges beyond 5 km and certified to UK Defence Standards. Systems are in operational service with military and security forces across multiple jurisdictions.
Sovereign drone intelligence platform providing defence-grade autonomous BVLOS operations, multi-sensor capture and analytics for critical infrastructure and defence. Raised £8.3m seed in November 2025 led by Rokos Capital Management.
UK maritime technology company developing advanced surface and subsurface craft, including VICTA, MARS USV and CADDIS systems for contested littoral and defence missions.
UK military vehicle specialist designing high-mobility off-road platforms, special forces vehicles, recovery systems and autonomous vehicle concepts for defence users.
Tactical Wireless develops secure resilient communications systems for remote and poorly connected locations, including military and police support applications.
Cybersecurity spinout of the Exsel Group that licensed Dstl data-centric security research, commercialising Bastion — software that embeds encryption into each document so files remain secure even if the network is breached.
Teleplan Forsberg delivers assured positioning, navigation and timing systems for mission-critical aerospace, defence, marine, security and space operations.
UK covert audio surveillance startup spun out of Dstl via Ploughshare. Its directional microphone arrays use patented acoustic shield signal processing for long-range intelligibility in noisy environments, aimed at law enforcement and intelligence users.
Thermoteknix develops infrared thermal imaging, night-vision and augmented-reality vision systems for defence, security, aerospace and industrial users.
Edinburgh mathematical modelling consultancy building bespoke algorithms for space situational awareness, spacecraft thermal modelling and classified defence data projects. Longstanding partner of the European Space Agency and UK MoD's SEAS DTC programme.
Swansea University spin-out manufacturing life-like whole-body trauma training simulators for military combat medic and MERT training. Models are built from 3D CT and MRI imaging and replace animal and cadaveric training materials.
UK unmanned systems startup building EW-resistant multirotor, fixed-wing, tube-launched and ground robotic platforms for security, government and demanding operational environments.
UK-registered defence platform unifying combat-proven Ukrainian unmanned systems, including MAGURA USVs, Nemesis strike drones and Fury ground robots. Raised $50M seed at a $1B valuation, with Ben Wallace on the board.
Recovery and recycling technology for aerospace composite waste, reducing defence supply chain dependency on virgin materials. NIF-backed.
AI computer vision for unmanned systems and counter-unmanned defence. Advanced surveillance and threat detection systems.
Belfast-based sovereign AI company building Collective, a modular AI operating system deployable on air-gapped, edge and on-prem infrastructure. Raised £10M Series A in 2025 and is one of only four SMEs holding an MoD enterprise agreement.
UK autonomous aviation company building Windracers ULTRA, a dual-use heavy-lift drone for defence resupply, reconnaissance, cargo and remote logistics missions.
Zelim develops intelligent maritime safety and rescue technology to make oceans, seas and waterways safer. The company provides advanced detection, tracking, and alerting systems including ZOE (intelligent detection system), SWIFT (rapid man overboard recovery system), and GUARDIAN (uncrewed rescue vessel). Zelim serves the cruise/passenger and offshore energy sectors with ISO 9001 certified solutions.
ZeroUSV designs, builds and operates autonomous uncrewed surface vessels for defence, security, survey and scientific offshore missions.
