Science and Technology Oriented Research and development in Missile defence (STORM)

1 Since the first V2 attack on London in 1944 ballistic missiles have posed a near constant threat to the UK, its overseas interests, and forces. Adversaries continue to invest in and proliferate increasingly advanced ballistic and manoeuvrable threat systems to challenge our freedom of action.

2 The UK Missile Defence Centre (MDC), a unique government-industry partnership within MOD Head Office, is responsible for all UK missile defence Research & Development (R&D). The MDC was established as a government-industry partnership to provide support to decision makers on all aspects of Missile Defence and to provide a pipeline of funding to sustain SQEP in relevant UK industry sectors. Through continuing implementation of the 2020 MOD Science & Technology (S&T) Strategy, the Missile Defence R&D category must sustain, exploit, and develop UK industrial and academic expertise to continue to develop next generation and generation after next technologies applicable to Integrated Air and Missile Defence.

3 The Missile Defence R&D Category Strategy, approved in May 2023, recommended creation of a new route to market bringing together core research and technology maturation projects into a single contract, enhancing research outcomes and supply chain efficiency. The contract shall manage delivery of research covering all activities to counter ballistic missiles and advanced threats including but not limited to simple non-separating threats, complex separating threats, Manoeuvring Re-Entry Vehicles (MaRVs) and Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicles (MIRVs), Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs), Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM) and hybrid threats which share characteristics with BM, HGV and/or HCM. The research required will cover analysis, experimentation, trials and technology/system development across all pillars of missile defence:

• Counter-proliferation - measures to minimise the spread of missile technology,
• Deterrence - measures to discourage the use of threat missiles,
• Counterforce - measures to reduce the quantity of missiles and supporting equipment / facilities available to an aggressor during a conflict,
• Active defence - measures to detect, track, intercept and disable/destroy missiles in flight,
• Passive defence - measures to mitigate and recover from the effects of threat missiles impacting on their target.

4 The Contractor will be required to work in close co-ordination with the MDC to design and manage a contract pipeline to deliver the Missile Defence R&D category’s research requirements. The pipeline will need to permit large, multi-year research technology maturation projects, multinational and multi-supplier trials, as well as short-term rapid analysis and short-notice access to subject matter expertise to contribute to the rapid provision of advice to decision makers across UK Government. It is envisaged that this will be best delivered with a coordination function co-located with the Missile Defence Centre in Farnborough.