DSEI began today, providing an important showcase for the UK’s defence and security industries. Throughout this week it will welcome international partners and potential customers from across the world, as well as representatives from the MOD and our own armed forces.

The event gives all companies the opportunity for customer engagement and a chance to demonstrate their capabilities. The innovation, technology and services, which our industries deliver make a direct contribution to our national prosperity and security.

Exports are an essential to defence and security, helping to sustain the high value, long-term jobs and apprenticeships, which are so important to local communities. Exports also help to fund investment in the R&D needed to keep UK companies competitive in a tough global market place.

DESI will be an important week for the Defence growth Partnership (DGP). As well as publishing ‘Customer Ready’, a comprehensive progress report, there will be a number of important announcements:

  • The launch of the Dual Use Technology Exploitation Cluster (DUTE); a £10m programme supported by industry and Government, created to identify and leverage technologies from adjacent sectors such as rail and aerospace. DUTE harnesses the UK’s vibrant community of SMEs, recognising the trend for greater investment in the civil domain rather defence, and augments it as a way to stimulate growth for defence exports.
  • The launch of a Systems Engineering Master’s Apprenticeship Programme (SEMAP), which will start in January 2016 with 90 students from 20 organisations signed up. As the first ever Masters level standard apprenticeship in the UK, SEMAP is attracting new graduates to the industry as well as up-skilling the existing workforce.
  • The first set of winners of a £10 million DGP Innovation Challenge to provide cutting-edge ideas and technologies to meet 21st Century global defence.

I wish everyone a good show, the ADS UK Pavilion promises to be a very busy hub and I look forward to meeting as many of our exhibitors as possible.

DGP Press release and film can be found here.