UK Unveils Defence Technology Strategy

UK MoD Britain has made significant strides in changing its overall approach to defense acquisition over the past few years, from the proliferation of long-term support partnerships and a move toward true through-life equipment management for key military platforms to the SMART Acquisition initiative and the UK Defence Industrial Strategy released in December 2005. As part of those broader efforts, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) recently released their Defence Technology Strategy, which sets longer-term R&D priorities. With an annual spend of approximately GBP 2.6 billion (about $4.9 billion), the MOD is a very large investor in Research & Development – everything from micro-satellites and battery augmentors/substitutes to an inhaled spray cures for bubonic plague. This new strategy sets out in detail those technologies which the MOD believes should be supported and brought from concept to front line delivery more quickly. It will also launch several initiatives designed to bring smaller enterprises into these R&D efforts and widen the range of potential programs… For instance, a “Competition of Ideas” will run until January 31, 2007, wherein innovators can suggest practical solutions to specific technical challenges facing the MOD. Ideas which have promise will receive funding of up to GBP 300,000 […]