A new Regional Defence and Security Cluster (RDSC) has been launched in the West Midlands, bringing together industry, academia, government and the Armed Forces to strengthen the region’s contribution to UK defence and security – and giving local businesses a structured route into a sector that already spends £1.7 billion annually with West Midlands industry.

The West Midlands RDSC was launched at an event hosted by the UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL) in the region, with presentations from industry, MoD teams and Armed Forces representatives setting out the defence and security opportunities available to regional firms. The cluster is free to join and will be delivered by the West Midlands Growth Company, the region’s official economic development organisation.

A Region Already Punching Its Weight

The West Midlands is one of the UK’s most strategically significant regions for defence and security, employing 23,500 people in the sector. Its strengths span advanced manufacturing, cyber security, autonomous systems and engineering, underpinned by a diverse end-to-end manufacturing supply chain, a flagship Investment Zone and ten world-class universities providing a deep pool of STEM talent.

The region’s defence credentials are well established. NMS UK, a leading manufacturer of Military Protected 4×4 vehicles with over 40 years of engineering expertise serving the British Army and UK defence exports, has established itself in the West Midlands specifically because of its position at the heart of the UK’s mobility and manufacturing industry. The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), University of Birmingham and University of Warwick are all partners in the new cluster, providing research and innovation infrastructure that few other regions can match.

What the Cluster Will Do

The West Midlands RDSC joins a national network of active regional clusters, creating a joined-up approach to defence and security capability development across the country. Its specific mission is to align local defence capabilities with UK demand  translating national defence strategies into a regional delivery plan through its connection to the Midlands Defence and Security Industry Council and the Midlands Defence and Security Blueprint.

In practical terms, the cluster will support organisations of all sizes to innovate and grow, help regional SMEs navigate the defence and security market, and provide access to UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) funding competitions. For smaller businesses that find the defence market difficult to enter – particularly around understanding routes to contract, accessing the right networks and building the relationships that lead to serious programme engagement – the RDSC model has proven effective in other regions.

Bruce Hardie, Defence Industry Partner at UK Defence Innovation, MoD, highlighted the cluster’s role in supporting SMEs specifically: “The West Midlands RDSC helps regional SMEs and innovators navigate the defence and security market, access UKDI funding competitions, and develop the relationships and readiness needed to scale their solutions into long-term defence capability.”

Timing and Opportunity

The launch comes at a moment of significant expansion in UK defence spending, with the government committed to reaching 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and major programmes – from the Defence Nuclear Enterprise to the RCH 155 artillery programme, several of which have direct West Midlands supply chain links – generating sustained demand across the industrial base.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker was direct about the economic opportunity: “We’re going all in to win major investment for our defence and security sector because that’s where the high-quality jobs of the future are for local people.” He pointed to Walsall College’s recently awarded Defence Technical Excellence College status as evidence that the region is building the skills pipeline to match its industrial ambition.

For businesses in the West Midlands with capabilities relevant to defence – whether in manufacturing, cyber, engineering, autonomous systems or research – the RDSC offers a low-barrier entry point into a sector that is growing rapidly and actively seeking to broaden its supplier base.

How to Get Involved

The West Midlands RDSC is free to join. Further information and joining instructions are available at www.westmidsrdsc.co.uk.