Lincolnshire’s defence capabilities

Those of us of a certain vintage with a connection to – whether by family experience or by study – the Second World War might conjure up a ‘Rosie the Riveter’ image in our heads when there is talk of arms manufacturing and the bolstering of defence capabilities.

But in modern times, weapons capability and the conduct of warfare couldn’t be further from that.

While, admittedly, in the latest SDR, £6 billion has been ringfenced for six munitions factories, Lincolnshire’s offer already sits more naturally with the sophistication of the modern defence industries.

The city of Lincoln and the county have already been actively promoted as a centre of excellence in defence for a number of years through initiatives backed by the public and private sector. 

Almost two years ago, in August 2023, The Greater Lincolnshire Regional Defence & Security Cluster was launched. It’s an industry-led forum giving a status to the area that opens doors to public and commercial funding and development streams, and gives an international profile to the area that is backed by central government recognition and endorsement.

At its launch, it was announced, ‘The cluster will support innovation in the field of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance’ and the aim is ‘… to establish Greater Lincolnshire as a national defence and security innovation, production and service hub… ’.

The presence of modern operators in the defence sector in Lincolnshire is not an accident. It builds on the legacy of the Second World War and Cold War era airfields, with RAF Waddington - the current home of the world famous Red Arrows squadron - now housing the UK’s Intelligence, Surveillance Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance (ISTAR), as well as the main site for the UK’s airborne intelligence aircraft and systems operations.

But neither is the presence of such cutting edge defence companies due to sentiment.

These businesses are here for a reason and educational institutions and policy makers here have been, increasingly, gearing-up to deliver the skill-set these innovative businesses need.

Lincolnshire has already attracted a range of major international and national defence & aerospace businesses such as BAE Systems, Boeing and Lockheed Martin that have long established offices and R&D facilities in the county with a particular focus around Lincoln.

The Eddisons Lincoln office has been instrumental in a range of transactions in the sector over recent years with firms either taking self-contained premises or leasing purpose built accommodation at the highly successful Lincoln Science & Innovation Park (LSIP).

LSIP is a joint venture between Lincolnshire Co-operative and the University of Lincoln and its aim is to create a collaborative environment for technology, science and academia in a commercial setting. Its next phase of development is expected to commence soon.

The coming academic year 2025/26 will also see the second tranche of students enrol at the Air & Space Institute Newark which opened in September 2024. Its £15.4 million campus is an international centre of excellence to provide technology led-learning further & higher education level programmes in partnership with the RAF and air & space industry commercial operators. With a focus on 16+ year old students, it’s an award winning facility in which Eddisons played its part to deliver.

Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022, it’s been the proliferation of drone and satellite-linked technology that has characterised the conduct of the conflict. And it’s interesting to note that much of it, on the Ukrainian side that we know about more, of course, has developed organically through its young troops for whom the smartphone and hand or keyboard held gaming controls have been default technologies and tools of their childhood.

While tempting to think about the Strategic Defence Review with its emphasis on technology and skills is preparing the UK for the ‘next generation’ of warfare, it is sobering to think that it’s actually the ‘now generation’.

With pressure on the UK from other NATO members to increase its proportion of GDP on defence spending to 5 or even 7 per cent of GDP sooner rather than later, Lincolnshire, as a location in the business vanguard of the modern defence industries, is in a prime position to contribute to, and benefit from, the economic growth that any defence dividend brings.