New sovereign UK turbojet engine takes to the skies in under seven months
MOD and UK start-up Alloyed co-develop a new family of digitally manufactured turbojet engines, built entirely in Britain, taking one engine from concept to flight in under seven months.
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A new family of turbojet engines has been co-developed by an innovative partnership between MOD and UK start-up Alloyed, with one engine taken from concept to flight in under 7 months.
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The engines, designed, built and tested in the UK using digital design and manufacturing, can be developed and scaled faster than traditional methods allow.
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More than 60 highly skilled UK jobs created under the programme, with 45 more expected over the next year as production ramps up.
A new turbojet engine was taken from the drawing board to the air in under seven months, as part of a new co-development programme between the Ministry of Defence and UK start-up Alloyed.
The programme has delivered a family of digitally manufactured turbojet engines – designed, built and tested in Britain – which will range in use from small drones to larger aircraft. The success establishes a sovereign propulsion capability for future defence systems, strengthening the UK’s ability to design, manufacture, test and sustain critical defence capabilities independently and at scale, while delivering highly skilled jobs and boosting UK supply chains.
Led by MOD’s Strategic Capabilities Office, the programme combines MOD investment with matched funding from Alloyed, a co-investment model that accelerates development and supports the UK’s defence industrial base.
More than 60 engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs have already been created in Britain through the programme, with a further 45 roles anticipated over the next 12 months as production expands. The initiative also supports a resilient national supply chain involving more than 40 UK suppliers, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, said:
Taking a jet engine from concept to flight-ready in just a matter of months shows how defence and industry can work together to deliver capabilities at the speed required by today’s world.
The threats we face demand the ability to produce cutting-edge technology on demand and at scale – this programme delivers that, combining sovereign manufacturing, digital engineering and industrial innovation to ensure our Armed Forces retain an operational advantage, while delivering good jobs for working people here in the UK.
The programme has developed a family of turbojet engines spanning the 30N to 2000N thrust range, measuring the level of propulsion force the engines can produce. The engines are designed and built using digital engineering, and represent a new domestic capability which is central to strengthening the UK’s defence readiness and deterring threats, while also creating jobs and career opportunities.
Two engines have already progressed into production: a 300N-class engine has completed flight testing and is now in serial production in the UK, and the larger 1100N-class engine which progressed from initial concept to flight-ready status in less than seven months.
Alongside the engines themselves, the programme has established a UK-based digital design and modelling approach that enables new propulsion systems and engine variants to be designed, assessed and brought into production in months rather than years.
Michael Holmes, Chief Executive Officer of Alloyed, said:
Working alongside the Ministry of Defence has enabled Alloyed to bring to bear its world-leading metals technologies to mature and demonstrate advanced propulsion systems at remarkable pace while building a lasting capability in the UK. This programme shows the power of combining defence expertise, digital engineering and industrial innovation.
By combining digital engineering, rapid development cycles, and modular design, the programme enables the UK to respond quickly to changing operational requirements while reducing reliance on overseas supply chains. The modular architecture also allows future improvements to be introduced rapidly without extensive redesign, supporting a broad range of future operational requirements.
This work delivers on the commitment made in the Strategic Defence Review to strengthen the UK’s defence industry and support future defence exports. The programme has the potential to support allies seeking resilient and sovereign propulsion solutions, positioning the UK as a leader in this type of advanced, digitally-led manufacturing and contributing to allied capability development.