DSEI UK hosts defence tech roundtable

Image courtesy Clarion

The need to develop defence technology at a pace to match that of our enemies, at a time when complex threats are converging, is a key issue for the UK and its allies, as set out in the Strategic Defence Review. 

This has formed the basis of a discussion held between the UK MoD Minister for Procurement and Industry and defence technology experts including Qinetiq, Dell, 4GD and Capita Defence. The meeting was convened exclusively by DSEI UK for several businesses delivering high technology to the UK.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP said: "Threats around the world are changing fast and we will rely on the ingenuity of businesses of all sizes to take cutting-edge concepts from the drawing board to our Armed Forces on the frontline.

“Events like DSEI and this roundtable bring that expertise together and our new Defence Industrial Strategy will show how we’ll build a stronger defence sector to support fast, flexible approaches that help us develop technology quickly.”

There is a growing consensus across government and industry that the UK’s defence ecosystem must adapt to this rapidly evolving threat environment and learn lessons from ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Discussions explored how the MoD and wider sector can better support SMEs in taking new technologies from concept to reality, how dual-use technologies are reshaping traditional procurement models and what more can be done to build a sustainable talent pipeline for defence innovation.

These critical topics will be prominent during DSEI UK when it is held at Excel London in September and are expected to be addressed in the MoD’s forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy.

DSEI UK is a significant global event for the defence and security sector and plays a key role in fostering collaboration between industry and government to shape the wider conversation around defence capability and readiness. 

Grant Burgham, Director of DSEI UK, said: “It was important for DSEI UK to convene this roundtable. It reinforced our commitment to supporting innovation by creating a space where government, large suppliers and SMEs can come together to tackle shared challenges and accelerate the adoption of next-generation solutions.”