The Ministry of Defence has awarded a new £12 million contract aimed at accelerating development of a sovereign UK hypersonic missile capability, as part of wider efforts to field a long-range hypersonic strike demonstrator by the end of the decade.
The contract has been awarded to Warrington-based engineering contractor Amentum UK, supported by SME partners Ebeni and Synthetik, based in Wiltshire and London respectively. According to the MOD, the companies will provide engineering expertise to develop the design for a hypersonic system, which is expected to be demonstrated through flight testing before being adapted into prototype missiles capable of operating at the extreme speeds and temperatures required for hypersonic flight.
The announcement was made on 13 February 2026, with the MOD describing the investment as part of the delivery of conclusions from the Strategic Defence Review, which highlighted hypersonic missiles as increasingly central to modern warfighting and NATO deterrence.
Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said the contract reflected the need to move faster in developing cutting-edge military technology. “In this new era of threat, we need a new era for defence. This means moving quicker to develop and buy the cutting-edge technologies our Armed Forces need for modern warfighting.”
Pollard added that the award was intended to strengthen national security while supporting industrial growth. “This contract will accelerate the UK’s development of sovereign hypersonic missile capability, strengthen our national security and back British workers.”
The MOD said the contract was awarded only 31 days after the invitation to tender, presenting this as evidence of a shift toward faster procurement and reduced bureaucracy. The department said its Commercial X team was working to modernise acquisition processes and deliver innovation at pace.
Officials said the new deal builds on progress made since July 2024, when the hypersonics programme began awarding contracts through the Hypersonics Technologies & Capability Development Framework. Since then, 124 suppliers have reportedly been involved, with over half classed as small and medium enterprises, and 22 contracts issued across multiple technology areas.
The MOD stated the total estimated value of contracts awarded since July 2024 is now £48 million, with a “notable proportion” flowing to SMEs.
Let’s hope this one has legs and staying power.
When do ypu thinkl they come out with a statement that they will be seeking alternative options.
When do ypu thinkl they come out with a statement that they will be seeking alternative options..
Hypersonic development acceleration – 3 words which don’t equate with the MOD
Another example of the glacial momentmum from our lords and masters is slightly better news
Navy Lookout repoerts that the crew is moving aboard HMS Daring
Maybe they can get to sea this year Any bets?
The story of the lead ship of the class is truly appalling
Sorry guys not happy and to think one of my monikers was Sunny Jim being a John Smith
NL is quite emphatic: Daring will rejoin the RN fleet later this year. I suggest you take your sparks of hope where you can.
Forming crews for the Darings is actually quite a manpower stretch.
Realistically only there were only three crews and with the need to use all six of them at a reasonable intensity due to the premature, to plan but not to design, demise of the T23s. Generating a fully formed and staffed training pipeline that is more than double previous also sokes up people.
RN would not be crewing a ship if they did not think it was going to be going to sea shortly.
So I see more than a glimmer of hope there.
Wow a whole 12 million
Actually to SME’s that is a bucket load of money. It will be interesting to see how they get, if they are allowed to complete before either someone pulls the plug or a major contract swallows them…
Cheers CR
Except Amentum are actually a multinational engineering consultancy.
The SMEs might be genuine and the money might all be going to them, but why not cut out the middleman?
Well at least a hypersonic missile will actually move at pace….assuming it gets beyond a PowerPoint DIP missile.
Hah, ‘move at pace’. I see what you did there.
Interesting Companies House entry.
I would hardly consider this to be an example of a improved procurement process. The problem isn’t with the crumbs that fall off the table, it’s with the big stuff. Like Tanks, IFV’s and ARTILLERY!
OT, But I was just reading that India has cleared a proposal to buy 114 Rafale jets, which would give them around 150 Rafale jets, about 250 Sukhoi Su‑30MKI, around 50 HAL Tejas(lots more on order), plus some older jets of various types. They are also developing their own next generation fighter and UCAV. Still behind the technological curve, of course, but India is one to watch going forward. Great news for 🇫🇷
Another OT, the German Chancellor said today that there are “confidential talks” ongoing with Macron on creating a joint European nuclear deterrent… 👀
What’s odd is that Amentum’s current UK footprint is mostly around engineering support for nuclear reactors and regulation. What I can find of their hypersonic expertise is based in the US.
So either they are starting a new team in the UK for hypersonics or we have just given a contract to what is really an American company.
Stuck on the American tit as always.
This is all fine to have high-end expensive procurement programmes, but the British Armed Forces need to grow significantly and they need low cost tech in vast quantity with supply chains that can deliver quickly and adapt and innovate very quickly.
Quite frankly the army should have bigger orders for Boxer in numerous variants, a hundred or so new wheeled MLRS to complement the tracked MLRS, scrap AJAX, buy CV90 and move towards production line in UK, big buys of MOWAG Eagle V or similar, fast track new small arms, ramp up ammo production and expand existing storage. And to increase disperal of personnel, equipment and ammo across existing and a few new sites.
I know that much will be open source, but should we be advertising company names and locations ?
Not just the fact Ru agents wandered into Salisbury with nerve agents but we now have the pro pal mob willing to enter and damage property with any slight whiff of a connection , even if that connection isn’t there.
It’s sensitive technology, we are open to Chinese and other spying.