SEA Wins King's Award for International Trade

SEA Wins King’s Award for International Trade

Maritime May 8, 2026

Somerset-based defence technology company SEA, part of the Cohort plc Group, has been awarded the King’s Award for International Trade – the UK’s highest official business honour – in recognition of sustained export growth in advanced maritime defence capabilities.

The award reflects a period of exceptional international commercial performance since 2022, during which SEA has secured multiple overseas contracts worth in excess of £50 million, doubled its revenue, and grown its workforce by over 100 employees in 2025 alone. The company now employs approximately 500 people across sites in Beckington, Bristol and Barnstaple, as well as a wholly owned subsidiary in Canada.

A Global Export Record

SEA’s export wins over the past three years span multiple continents and naval programmes. The company has supplied its Torpedo Launcher System to a multi-ship frigate programme in South America, to the Philippine Navy, and to the Royal Canadian Navy. Its KraitSense anti-submarine warfare system has been contracted for delivery to a South-east Asian navy, and SEA has also won work supporting the communications systems upgrade on two Royal New Zealand Navy ANZAC frigates.

The breadth of that customer base – spanning Latin America, the Indo-Pacific and the Five Eyes alliance – reflects strong and growing international demand for SEA’s core capabilities in fleet protection and undersea warfare.

Richard Flitton, Managing Director of SEA, said the award was “a clear recognition of the strength of our export performance and the growing demand for our advanced maritime defence capabilities,” adding that it showcased how the company was “delivering leading defence capabilities across the globe” from its South West England base.

Domestic Anchor, Export Platform

Alongside its international growth, SEA has maintained a strong domestic programme pipeline. A £135 million contract to provide its Ancilia trainable countermeasures system to the Royal Navy has provided a significant anchor contract, complementing the export revenue and giving the company the commercial confidence to invest in manufacturing capacity expansion.

That expansion is now well advanced. SEA has grown its Barnstaple manufacturing facilities, opened a new manufacturing facility in Ottawa, Canada, and is preparing to open an office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – a clear signal of its intent to deepen its presence in the Indo-Pacific market.

Flitton noted that the contract wins of the past three years had “enabled us to double our revenue, supporting the expansion of our team and allowing us to invest in our manufacturing facilities in Barnstaple and Ottawa” to meet growing global demand for Torpedo Launcher Systems, KraitSense and Ancilia.

A Model for UK Defence Export Growth

SEA’s trajectory is a compelling case study in how a mid-sized UK defence business can build genuine international scale from a regional base. Starting from its South West England sites, the company has built a product portfolio with proven global demand, secured anchor contracts with the Royal Navy to underpin investment, and used that platform to compete and win in competitive international markets.

For the UK defence supply chain – and particularly for SMEs and growth-stage businesses considering their own export ambitions – SEA’s King’s Award recognition is a timely reminder that world-leading capability, backed by sustained investment and a clear international strategy, can deliver transformative results.

Image: SEA