QinetiQ Group has secured a five-year extension, worth £1.54bn ($2.06bn), to its long term partnering agreement (LTPA) with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The agreement aims to modernise mission-critical test and evaluation services that underpin the operational readiness of UK and allied armed forces.
Under the extended contract, which now runs to 2033, QinetiQ will continue to provide test, trials, training and evaluation (T3E) capabilities.
In addition to the extension, QinetiQ has recognised a further order of £166m for ongoing test and evaluation investments.
The company and the MoD, in the next eight years, plan to invest to develop next-generation defence technologies, including uncrewed systems, hypersonics, and directed energy weapons.
The parties will also pursue greater digitalisation within the test and evaluation framework, aiming to accelerate the transition of new concepts into operational capability.
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By GlobalDataAnother priority will be enhancing access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to the LTPA services for a wider range of contributors.
The contract extension is expected to support more than 1,200 jobs across 16 MoD locations in England, Scotland and Wales.
It will also support a supply chain of more than 825 companies across the UK.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Rigorously tested equipment and the trialling of emerging technologies are key to ensuring our armed forces are using combat-ready capabilities on the frontline.
“The contract will help keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad, as we drive forward innovation to bolster our national security and support skilled jobs across the UK.
“With hundreds of British businesses supported by this investment through QinetiQ’s supply chain, we are demonstrating how defence is an engine for growth across the UK, and delivering on our Plan for Change.”
QinetiQ and the MoD have collaborated on several key defence milestones since the signing of the original 25-year LTPA in 2003.
These include the first UK-based launch of a ballistic rocket into space, the UK’s initial test of a high-power laser weapon against aerial targets, and Europe’s first successful demonstration of a piloted aircraft operating alongside an autonomous vehicle.
The latest extension is also expected to support critical defence programmes such as Dreadnought nuclear submarines, the Global Combat Air Programme, and various drone initiatives.
QinetiQ group chief executive officer Steve Wadey said: “Through the LTPA, we play a vital role helping to protect and enhance the UK’s defence and security.
“The extension of our partnership with MoD enables us to continue investing to deliver the transformational change in test and evaluation that’s required to ensure our armed forces have operational advantage over disruptive technologies.”
In 2024, the British Army concluded “successful” trials of a radio frequency-directed energy weapon (RFDEW) designed to neutralise drone swarms using radio waves. The trials were led by a consortium comprising Thales UK, QinetiQ, Teledyne e2v, and Horiba Mira.
