The Defence Secretary congratulated award-winning businesses at the Farnborough International Air show this week.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon met a number of British based small and medium sized companies which won awards in the MOD-funded Defence Growth Partnership Innovation Challenge competition, run in partnership between the Defence Solutions Centre and the MOD.
The Defence Secretary was also given a tour of the UK Defence Solutions Centre (DSC). The DSC offers collaborative support to companies competing in the global defence market.
The Secretary of State also welcomed three new organisations to the membership of the UK DSC – Ultra Electronics, Cranfield University and the University of Southampton.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
“The Defence Growth Partnership brings together the best minds in the defence industry and is a fine example of British initiative.
“I congratulate all the winners of the Innovation Challenge. These projects are good for our armed forces, good for our economy and good for Britain.”
The Minister for Defence Procurement Philip Dunne, who launched the Innovation Challenge in 2015, was also on hand to congratulate the British SME winners. The winners have now been awarded follow-on funding totalling £2.3million. The winners were Close Air Solutions, Inzpire, Glyndwr Innovations, Amethyst Research and QinetiQ.
These companies all helped provide innovative solutions on how the defence industry responds to issues surrounding big-data and air surveillance.
Minister for Defence Procurement, Philip Dunne said:
“I’m delighted to see these exciting projects now moving forward. It shows what can be achieved when both the defence industry and government work together.
“I look forward to seeing other British Defence companies involve themselves with future innovation challenges.”
UKDSC CEO, Steve Brittan said:
‘The Defence Growth Partnership is all about ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of the global defence market. Through the DGP Innovation Challenges run by the UK Defence Solution Centre and Centre for Defence Enterprise we’ve been able to demonstrate the innovation that exists here in the UK which will serve the needs of both our Armed Forces and international customers’.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
- The competition was run by MOD’s Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) which is part of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).
Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) – Funds novel, high-risk, high-potential-benefit research. It works with the broadest possible range of science and technology providers, including academia and small companies, to develop cost-effective capabilities for UK armed forces and national security. CDE is part of the DSTL.
