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Our Work

The Defence Growth Partnership (DGP)

A partnership between Government and the Defence Industry, formed following a recognition that a bold new approach was needed to improve the sector’s competitiveness.

The DGP is comprised of 11 Founding Members, the trade organisation ADS and 2 Government Departments: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Department for Business & Trade (DBT). It is jointly led by an Industry Co-Chair (Steve Wadey, QinetiQ) and an Industry Co-Chair (Steve Wadey, QinetiQ) and Government Co-Chairs (James Cartlidge MP, Minister for Defence Procurement, MOD and Lord Johnson, Minister for Investment, DBT).

The DGP is working to secure a truly competitive, sustainable and globally successful UK Defence sector that provides leading-edge capability and through-life support for our Armed Forces and International customers, as well as bringing wider economic benefits to the UK.

turnover

22.7bn

The international Defence sector is becoming more competitive and partnerships are an essential collaborative model that can deliver shared capability and capacity more sustainably in the long-term.

The DGP is working to ensure an innovative and collaborative Defence Industry that continues developing world-leading capability, in order to strengthen UK prosperity and compete effectively around the globe.

22.7bn turnover

The UK is the second largest defence exporter in the world, holding an estimated 12% of the global market share (2017). Directly employing 135,000 staff in the UK and generating annual turnover of around £22.7bn, of which exports value on average £9bn, the UK Defence sector is vital to both national security and the UK economy.

Moreover, the international Defence sector is becoming more competitive and partnerships are an essential collaborative model that can deliver shared capability and capacity more sustainably in the long-term.

The DGP is working to ensure an innovative and collaborative Defence Industry that continues developing world-leading capability, in order to strengthen UK prosperity and compete effectively around the globe.

our partners

Who is involved in
the DGP?

The DGP Members bring together the best from the UK Defence sector in a unique partnership with Government that delivers a new, collaborative way of doing business.

The DGP works to involve and engage with key stakeholders across Government, academia, R&D, trade associations and all levels of the industrial value chain including SMEs, to all work together to deliver enhanced growth and prosperity for the UK. Engagement from a broad base of participants is crucial to achieving the DGP’s strategic vision. Given the cross-cutting issues that sectors in the UK face, we continue to engage with others, particularly the Defence Suppliers Forum, the Catapults and other Growth Partnerships in Aerospace, Space, Cyber and Security & Resilience.

our partners

The Women in Defence Charter is designed to promote gender balance across the defence industry, leading a concerted effort to make the sector a better place for women and men, and ultimately, improving the output of defence.

The Charter was launched during DSEI 2019, at the TEAM UK stand and it currently has 51 signatories. The DGP has continued to support the initiative and is proud to help promote inclusion, diversity and provide fair opportunities for women to succeed at all levels. To find out more, click here to access the Women in Defence website.

Delivering Capability through Partnership

Team UK is a collaborative environment through which UK Government, Industry and Academia work in partnership with you to deliver future defence solutions

About the DGP