DPRTE 2026 once again demonstrated why it stands as the UK’s premier event for defence procurement, technology and supply chain collaboration. Bringing together government, the MOD, industry primes, SMEs and international partners, this year’s event placed defence innovation firmly at the centre of strategic discussion.
With capability acceleration, digital transformation and industrial resilience dominating national defence priorities, DPRTE 2026 delivered one of its most forward‑looking and commercially relevant programmes to date.
This year’s event unfolded against the backdrop of the UK’s evolving Strategic Defence Review and an updated Defence Industrial Strategy. The government’s long‑term ambition to increase security spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 – including 3.5% dedicated to defence – framed conversations on sovereign capability, procurement reform and the urgent need for rapid technological advancement across all domains.
The message throughout the conference was clear; innovation is no longer optional, but an essential enabler of national defence readiness, operational advantage and industrial competitiveness.
A series of high‑level conference sessions underscored this point. One of the most insightful panels, Implementing the Defence Industrial Strategy – What Does Success Look Like?, brought together Jim Carter, Director General at UK Ministry of Defence, Andrew Kinniburgh, Director-General at Make UK Defence, and Tony Reeves, founder of defence company MAIAR. Their discussion highlighted the importance of building a more resilient and responsive industrial base, accelerating innovation cycles and ensuring skills development and economic growth are supported across all UK regions. The session reinforced the need for industry and government alignment to ensure the supply chain can deliver future‑ready capability.
Innovation in practice was also on display through the announcement of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Vanguard Programme winners. The initiative, delivered in partnership with Make UK Defence and the Defence Office for Small Business Growth, aims to equip British SMEs with world‑class cloud technology, simulation tools, data analytics and digital engineering capabilities.
The programme is designed to help high‑potential companies scale innovation quickly and deliver more competitively into UK defence programmes. The winning SMEs – British Rototherm Group, MSI‑Defence Systems Ltd, On‑systems, Shearwater Marine Services and Whippendell Marine Ltd – will receive significant technical support to enhance their digital output, operational efficiency and product development pipelines.
The event also marked the launch of A Practical Guide to Working in Defence, produced collaboratively by Make UK Defence and Lloyds Business and Commercial. Edited and designed by Horizon Works, the guide provides clear, accessible and practical insight for businesses looking to enter or expand within the defence sector. Seeing delegates actively engage with the guide at the Make UK Defence stand was a proud moment and demonstrated the growing appetite among suppliers to better understand defence requirements, compliance expectations and commercial frameworks.
Overall, DPRTE 2026 reflected a defence ecosystem increasingly focused on innovation, skills and collaboration. From strategic policy discussions to technology showcases, the event reinforced the importance of a modern, integrated and agile supply chain capable of supporting the UK’s defence ambitions. As the sector continues to evolve at pace, DPRTE remains a critical forum for partnership, knowledge‑sharing and the advancement of cutting‑edge defence capability.