3 4月 2025

Babcock awarded UK MOD contract to provide innovative support to Ukraine

A Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank in a wood block during a training scenario on Ex STEADFAST DEFENDER on Tuesday 7th May 2024, Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland. Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024, the largest NATO deployment of its kind in a generation, is a programme of exercises designed to train and demonstrate the Alliance’s ability to reinforce continental Europe via movement of forces from the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. This demonstrates the ability to move soldiers, their vehicles and equipment quickly across thousands of miles to enable the defence of NATO territory. The UK plays a leading role in NATO and this exercise is about demonstrating the British Army's ability to operate and fight, including providing leadership and operating well with partners from across the alliance. In turn this demonstrates the importance of NATO to the security resilience of the UK. As part of Exercise Steadfast Defender, the British Army’s 12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) are conducting Exercise Immediate Response, alongside NATO allies as the Lead Armoured Brigade Combat Team, with 4-10 (US) Cavalry Squadron from the 4th (US) Infantry Division. The US forces are integrated into the Brigade and working alongside Battle Groups formed from 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh and 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment. The exercise provides opportunities for learning between allies and as a leading member of NATO, Exercise Immediate Response is just one example of the UK’s leadership, readiness and confidence as a global force, alongside partner forces across the Alliance.

Babcock has been awarded a proof-of-concept contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) which will enable Ukraine’s armed forces to 3D print military equipment.

As prime contractor, we will work with UK defence technology company QinetiQ to create digital drawings and Computer Aided Design (CAD) files of military equipment which then can be used to print parts in country.

This innovative technology support comprises reverse engineering older parts to understand their function and design, enabling them to be digitally recreated on demand. Digital files will enable the manufacturing of parts during operations using a variety of methods including 3D printing, demonstrating our ability to deliver defence support capability whenever and wherever it is required.

Tom Newman, CEO of Babcock’s Land Sector, said: “We aim to give Ukraine the capability to recreate the military parts that they need, where and when it really matters. This innovation builds on our engineering expertise and technology capability, giving us further opportunities to optimise 3D printing.”

Alan Hart, Managing Director of Science, Technology and Weapons for QinetiQ, said: “We are delighted to be working with Babcock to support Ukraine, and are immensely proud that QinetiQ is able to draw on our world-leading expertise in technical assurance to assist.

“This latest contract demonstrates QinetiQ’s unequalled expertise in material capability assurance, and commitment to support to the frontline, whether our own or those of our allies.”

This new contract forms part of Babcock’s steadfast support for Ukraine. Recently, we announced an extension to our support for Ukraine’s armed forces which will ensure vehicles such as the Challenger 2 tank are repaired and restored as quickly as possible to the front line. We manage the vehicle supply chain and spares and share our engineering expertise to train the Ukrainian military to conduct the repairs themselves.