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Uncrewed Systems: Testing

Asked by James McMurdockIndependentMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 30 June 2026UIN 12340

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Ministry of Defence's press release entitled Europe's largest drone testing centre opens in Swindon to boost defence innovation, published on 12 June 2026, how many small and medium-sized British businesses he expects to support through the work of the new centre.

Answered by Luke Pollard

The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) in Swindon will play a part in the Department’s drive to implement the ambitions set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy, particularly to back UK based businesses and to put the UK at the leading edge of defence innovation.

While the USC does not have a target for the proportion of its work to be delivered by UK-based companies, work is already underway with a number of British businesses, including SMEs.

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