Do we need a defence industry for that? Couldn't we buy off the shelf?

The UK Defence Industry has a track record of providing world-class equipment for our troops at internationally competitive prices. That shouldn't be a surprise - our productivity is 15% above the UK manufacturing average.

We're proud to support our service men and women. And it's not just a matter of developing and manufacturing equipment in the comfort of our labs and factories.

We help maintain the facilities and equipment the Armed Forces have and some industry personnel are there on the frontline.

Defence isn't just about protecting lives. It's also about protecting and improving livelihoods.

The UK Defence Industry helps communities all around Britain to thrive and prosper, by providing over 300,000 high-value engineering and manufacturing jobs.

The UK Defence Industry firmly believes in staying at the leading edge of technology - for our national security and to keep us competitive on the world stage.

The sector invests £3.3 billion annually in Research & Development. That equates to 14% of national R&D spend every year.

The defence industry isn't just about protecting our Armed Forces, it's about protecting us all as we go about our daily lives.

The threat posed by terrorism is real and growing and we have a critical role to play in delivering security for the nation.

We strongly support the United Nations in its efforts to secure an Arms Trade Treaty that will regulate the sale of small arms internationally and are working with the British government to that end.
Closer to home, we contribute to our local areas –-supporting community projects with funding, time and expertise.