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Defence & Security

The MOD is the single largest contracting department, buying warships, aircraft, submarines, munitions and the support services behind them.

Supplier spend

£34bn

Share of all supplier spend

8.5%

Top 10 suppliers

£20.3bn

Since 2019

+55%

Contract spend trend

+£12.0bn (55%) since 2019

Data sourcesCabinet Office — Find a Tender Service (high-value awards)data.gov.uk API (api.gov.uk)Cabinet Office — Contracts Finder (awarded contracts)data.gov.uk API (api.gov.uk)HM Government — Departmental spend over £25,000data.gov.uk API (api.gov.uk)National Audit Office — Reports on government contracting
exact ONS/HMRC/MHCLG/PSS fields

Where it goes

  • Equipment programmes

  • Support and maintenance

  • Nuclear enterprise

Bought by Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment & Support, Submarine Delivery Agency.

Top 10 suppliers

Data sourcesCabinet Office — Find a Tender Service (high-value awards)data.gov.uk API (api.gov.uk)Cabinet Office — Contracts Finder (awarded contracts)data.gov.uk API (api.gov.uk)HM Government — Departmental spend over £25,000data.gov.uk API (api.gov.uk)National Audit Office — Reports on government contracting
exact ONS/HMRC/MHCLG/PSS fields

  1. #1BAE Systems

    £6.6bn

    Submarines, warships, combat aircraft, munitions and cyber services

    Farnborough, UK · 19.4% of the area

    • Equipment
    • Shipbuilding

  2. #2Rolls-Royce

    £3.4bn

    Nuclear submarine reactors, aero engines and power systems

    Derby, UK · 10.0% of the area

    • Propulsion

  3. #3Babcock International

    £2.6bn

    Warship and submarine refit, dockyards, training and fleet support

    London, UK · 7.6% of the area

    • Support

  4. #4Leonardo UK

    £1.6bn

    Helicopters, radar, electronic warfare and sensors

    Yeovil, UK · 4.7% of the area

    • Equipment

  5. #5MBDA UK

    £1.4bn

    Complex weapons and missile systems

    Stevenage, UK · 4.1% of the area

    • Munitions

  6. #6Lockheed Martin UK

    £1.2bn

    F-35 support, weapons integration and logistics systems

    London, UK · 3.5% of the area

    • Equipment

  7. #7Thales UK

    £1.1bn

    Sonar, optronics, communications and air defence

    Reading, UK · 3.2% of the area

    • Sensors

  8. #8QinetiQ

    £0.9bn

    Test and evaluation ranges, research and training services

    Farnborough, UK · 2.6% of the area

    • Research

  9. #9Boeing Defence UK

    £0.8bn

    Maritime patrol and transport aircraft support

    Bristol, UK · 2.4% of the area

    • Aviation

  10. #10Airbus Defence and Space

    £0.7bn

    Military satellites, secure communications and transport aircraft

    Stevenage, UK · 2.1% of the area

    • Space

The top ten defence suppliers take well over half of all MOD contract spend.

Most large defence contracts are single-source and priced under the Defence Reform Act regime.

Equipment and support plans run on ten-year rolling budgets.

Sources