Implementation of Missile Defence Research & Development Category Strategy

Tender description

HIGH LEVEL REQUIREMENT 1. Since the first V2 attack on London in 1944 ballistic missiles have posed a near constant threat to the UK, its overseas interests, and forces. Adversaries continue to invest in and proliferate increasingly advanced ballistic and manoeuvrable threat systems to challenge our freedom of action. 2. The UK Missile Defence Centre (MDC), a unique government-industry partnership within MOD Head Office, is responsible for all UK missile defence Research & Development (R&D). The MDC was established as a government-industry partnership to provide support to decision makers on all aspects of Missile Defence and to provide a pipeline of funding to sustain SQEP in relevant UK industry sectors. Through continuing implementation of the 2020 MOD Science & Technology (S&T) Strategy, the Missile Defence R&D category must sustain, exploit, and develop UK industrial and academic expertise to continue to develop next generation and generation after next technologies applicable to Integrated Air and Missile Defence. 3. The Missile Defence R&D Category Strategy, approved in May 2023, recommended creation of a new route to market bringing together core research and technology maturation projects into a single contract, enhancing research outcomes and supply chain efficiency. The contract shall manage delivery of research covering all activities to counter ballistic missiles and advanced threats including but not limited to simple non-separating threats, complex separating threats, Manoeuvring Re-Entry Vehicles (MaRVs) and Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicles (MIRVs), Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs), Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM) and hybrid threats which share characteristics with BM, HGV and/or HCM. The research required will cover analysis, experimentation, trials and technology/system development across all pillars of missile defence.