The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has advanced its plan to enhance the UK’s sovereign munitions and energetics production capability, identifying at least 13 potential sites for new factories across the country.
The government is now formally inviting industry to submit proposals to develop these facilities, marking a critical next step in rebuilding the UK’s industrial capacity for key military explosives and propellants. This initiative is a direct outcome of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which committed an additional £1.5 billion to bolster the UK’s munitions stockpiles and establish an ‘always on’ production pipeline.
In a Planned Procurement Note (PPN) published today, the MOD has outlined its specific requirements for onshore production, detailing nine energetic materials identified as essential for national security. The document signals a significant long-term investment programme and provides a clear framework for businesses to engage. Opportunities exist for companies specialising in the production of propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics, and their chemical precursors. The government expects industry to break ground on the first new factory within the next year, with feasibility studies and engineering design work already commissioned and funded by the MOD.
This move is set to create at least 1,000 new jobs and regenerate industrial capabilities that have been absent from the UK for nearly two decades. Potential locations for the new facilities have been identified in regions including Grangemouth in Scotland, Teesside in Northeast England, and Milford Haven in Wales, alongside specific counties such as Cumbria, Cheshire, and Pembrokeshire. This geographical spread indicates a wide range of opportunities for regional supply chains in construction, engineering, chemical supply, and logistics.
The announcement forms part of a broader government strategy to leverage defence investment as a driver for national economic growth and technological innovation. This was further highlighted by the concurrent opening of two new drone factories in the UK this week: a Helsing facility in Plymouth and a STARK production line in Swindon. For the defence supply chain, the MOD’s invitation for proposals on energetics production represents a clear and tangible opportunity to secure long-term contracts and contribute to a foundational element of the UK’s national security infrastructure.
Image: UK MOD © Crown copyright 2017
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