Leonardo and Uplift360 Partner to Secure Sovereign Supply of Critical Materials

Land April 14, 2026

Leonardo has announced a strategic partnership with UK-based advanced materials scale-up Uplift360 to accelerate the recycling and reuse of military-grade materials across the defence sector.

The collaboration, confirmed on 25 March 2026, focuses on establishing a circular supply of carbon fibre derived from both production residuals and end-of-life defence assets. By combining Leonardo’s expertise in platform certification and regulatory engagement with Uplift360’s chemical recycling technologies, the partnership aims to mitigate strategic risks associated with the sovereign supply of critical raw materials.

This initiative directly aligns with the UK Government’s Strategic Defence Review, which emphasises the necessity of strengthening supply chain resilience through the domestic generation of novel material sources. Historically, advanced composite equipment at the end of its operational life has often been incinerated, resulting in the loss of high-value materials and increasing the UK’s dependence on international markets for carbon fibre and rare earth elements. The partnership seeks to transform these waste streams into high-performance materials suitable for reuse in future aerospace, defence, and security products, thereby reducing environmental impact and lifecycle costs.

For the wider UK defence supply chain, the collaboration is managed through Leonardo’s SME Collaboration Partner Programme. This framework is specifically designed to assist innovative small and medium-sized enterprises in overcoming the barriers to scaling new technologies into operational capabilities. A successful proof-of-concept has already been conducted by the Leonardo Helicopters Technology and Innovation Team in Yeovil, where material from an end-of-life rotor blade was recycled into a structural drone arm. This project demonstrated the technical feasibility of repurposing complex aerospace composites into high-value applications using low-energy processes.

Uplift360 plans to significantly expand its operational capacity throughout 2026 with the launch of a new pilot facility. This site is expected to achieve a throughput of up to seven tonnes of recycled carbon fibre per year, representing a critical step toward industrial-scale production and the formal qualification of these materials for frontline defence use. For sub-contractors and waste management firms, this move toward circularity offers new opportunities to integrate into a resilient ecosystem that prioritises extended producer responsibility. By securing the supply of critical components through domestic recycling, the partnership provides a blueprint for how the UK defence industry can maintain operational readiness and sovereign capability during periods of geopolitical or economic volatility. As Leonardo moves toward the customer adoption phase, the focus remains on ensuring that these regenerated composites meet the rigorous standards required for modern combat platforms.

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