DTS Paper.qxp - Royal Aeronautical Society

Aerospace and the UK
Defence Industry and
Technology Strategy
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A Specialist Paper prepared by
Prof Keith Hayward, FRAeS †
Head of Research at the Royal Aeronautical Society
In publishing its Defence Technology Strategy, the UK Ministry of Defence has now completed the first stage of its ‘roadmap’ for the
future of the UK defence industrial base and its main technological concerns. The MoD framework provides a set of guiding principles
and an indication of priorities for both the MoD and industry. As such, they have been welcomed by industry as a means of guiding
its investment with a higher degree of confidence than hitherto and enabling companies to play their full part in meeting MoD
requirements over the next decade.
This Discussion Paper examines the implications for the UK aerospace sector of the MoD’s strategy. It outlines the main features of the
two key MoD documents 1 but its main focus is on the implications of the Defence Technology Strategy on the aerospace sector. These
will be profound: the MoD is unlikely to invest in conventional aircraft platform technology beyond the Typhoon and F-35. There will
be investment in mission systems and complex weapons technology acquisition as well as in systems integration. Materials technology
is also seen as a key cross-cutting investment. Research will also be focused on improving through life support and maintenance. The
strategy confirms the movement towards unmanned systems and networks.
Industry will be expected increasingly to support its own applied research in part shaped by reference to the MoD’s now published
guidelines. However, there are unresolved issues relating to the long-term stability of the MoD plan and UK companies may continue
to find greater opportunities offshore with the risk of increased dependence on particularly the US market with its restrictions on
technology transfer.
The DTS poses a major challenge to the conventional view of an aerospace professional. Working on defence projects will remain a
stimulating and rewarding intellectual career — indeed, the more so given the complexity of some of the high level systems envisaged
for the future. The demand will be for flexible, adaptable professionals, perhaps with a wider range of educational experience than
the traditional aerospace engineer. However, maintaining the human base of the UK defence industry will not come cheap to maintain
real capability, but it should be an essential element in a long-term strategy
While the MoD’s view of the future is based on a solid diagnosis of the trends and developments in the defence industrial sector, the
prescription offered in terms of technology investment is more geared to the MoD’s needs and concerns. While this may be
understandable, there is a risk overall of some diversion between the MoD’s requirements and those of UK-based industry.
While the Royal Aeronautical Society is not directly involved in the evolution of UK defence industrial and technological policy, it does
have a role in monitoring events on behalf of its members, contributing to the debate on policy and, through its specialist committees,
helping to shape views about emerging technologies.
1 Ministry of Defence, Defence Industrial Strategy, December 2005 and
Ministry of Defence, Defence Technology Strategy, October 2006.
† Prof Hayward is Head of Research at the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is the author of several books and articles
on defence and aerospace and has been a consultant to public and private agencies in the UK, US and Europe.
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