Tech innovation will redefine the UK's defence front line
Guest blog by Naomi Hulme, CCO and Co-Founder at Skyral
The front line in modern warfare has changed. I have often been told by many officers, standing aboard a Dreadnought submarine, that the front line is physical – ships, fighter jets, troops on the ground. They are right, but today requires a new approach. Today's front line exists in code, in algorithms, in digital twins that model battlespaces before a single soldier deploys.
The Spring Statement finally recognises this reality. With an additional £2.2 billion in defence funding and the establishment of a protected £400 million innovation fund within the Ministry of Defence, the government is acknowledging what tech pioneers have known for years: technology isn't just supporting defence – it is defence.
For too long, innovative companies have fought against procurement systems that moved at a glacial pace. The commitment to spend a minimum of 10% of the MOD's equipment budget on novel technologies – AI systems, uncrewed platforms, digital tools – isn't just a budget allocation. It's a strategic pivot that puts technological superiority at the heart of national security. The reforms to procurement processes will enable faster, more agile delivery and widen access to contracts for small businesses.
The most revolutionary element is the new three-month procurement cycle for digital solutions. Consider our work at Skyral, developing the Operational Decision Support Tool - Maritime (OpDSMT) for the Royal Navy. This system integrates multiple data sources to create a comprehensive operational picture that transforms how commanders make decisions at sea. Under traditional timelines, this technology would have taken years to reach the fleet – by which time much of its innovation would be outdated.
This matters because conflict doesn't wait. The OpDSMT allows commanders to visualise complex maritime scenarios, test response options through active experimentation, and make informed decisions in compressed timeframes. We're not just building interesting simulations – we're creating a decision advantage that saves lives.
The impact extends beyond technology. Our customer conversations have evolved dramatically in recent months, with a heightened sense of urgency and purpose. Defence stakeholders now recognise that modelling and simulation technologies aren't merely support tools, but critical assets for maintaining operational advantage. We're engaged much earlier in capability development discussions, sought out not just as technology providers or experts, but as strategic partners who understand the evolving threat landscape.
While traditional prime contractors will continue to receive the majority of increased defence allocations, we anticipate a significant shift in distribution patterns. The Ministry of Defence has explicitly acknowledged that meeting modern challenges requires capabilities that often originate outside traditional defence industrial channels. This creates genuine opportunities for specialised tech companies to scale their impact.
The economic benefits are substantial. The Spring Statement specifically commits to supporting jobs in key defence hubs including Barrow, Portsmouth, Glasgow, Derby, Newport, and Deeside. Additionally, a £2 billion extension to UK Export Finance capacity will help international buyers purchase UK defence goods and services. As tech becomes central to defence strategy, this investment will fuel innovation ecosystems across the country, centering the UK as a true tech hub and making good on the Government’s commitment to become a global science superpower.
The commitment to increase NATO-qualifying defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 provides the financial foundation for this technological transformation. Rather than changing our strategy, these developments have validated and accelerated Skyral's existing trajectory – we've always positioned our technology as essential infrastructure for next-generation defence capabilities.
The front line has changed. It now extends from silicon chips to satellite links, from data centres to deployed units. With this Spring Statement, Britain has recognised that technological innovation and national security are now inseparable.
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Meet the team
Fred Sugden
Associate Director, Defence and National Security, techUK
Fred is responsible for techUK's activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working to provide members with access to key stakeholders across the Defence and National Security community. Before taking on the role of Associate Director for Defence and National Security, Fred joined techUK in 2018, working as the Programme Head for Defence at techUK, leading the organisation's engagement with the Ministry of Defence. Before joining techUK, he worked at ADS, the national trade association representing Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space companies in the UK.
Fred is responsible for techUK’s market engagement and policy development activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working closely with various organisations within the Ministry of Defence, and across the wider National Security and Intelligence community. Fred works closely with many techUK member companies that have an interest in these sectors, and is responsible for the activities of techUK's senior Defence & Security Board. Working closely with techUK's Programme Head for Cyber Security, Fred oversees a broad range of activities for techUK members.
Outside of work, Fred's interests include football (a Watford FC fan) and skiing.
- Email:
- fred.sugden@techuk.org
- Phone:
- 07985 234 170
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Jeremy Wimble
Programme Manager, Defence, techUK
Jeremy manages techUK's defence programme, helping the UK's defence technology sector align itself with the Ministry of Defence - including Defence Digital, DE&S, innovation units and Frontline Commands - through a broad range of activities including private briefings and early market engagement events. It also supports the MOD as it procures new digital technologies.
Prior to joining techUK, from 2016-2024 Jeremy was International Security Programme Manager at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) coordinating research and impact activities for funders including the FCDO and US Department of Defense, as well as business development and strategy.
Jeremy has a MA in International Relations from the University of Birmingham and a BA (Hons) in Politics & Social Policy from Swansea University.
- Email:
- jeremy.wimble@techuk.org
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Tracy Modha
Team Assistant - Markets, techUK
Tracy supports several areas at techUK, including Cyber Exchange, Cyber Security, Defence, Health and Social Care, Local Public Services, Nations and Regions and National Security.
Authors
Naomi Hulme
CCO and Co-Founder , Skyral
