Britain’s defence exports are set to reach their highest level since records began more than 40 years ago, with the Government securing more than £20 billion in deals with allies in 2025,
providing a major boost to jobs and industry across the UK.
The figure marks a record year for the sector, driven by landmark agreements including the UK’s largest-ever warship export and the biggest fighter jet sale for a generation. Ministers say the deals directly support more than 25,000 British jobs, many of them highly skilled roles expected to last for decades.
Among the most significant contracts is a £10 billion agreement with Norway to supply at least five Type 26 frigates. The deal is expected to sustain around 4,000 jobs across more than 430 UK businesses, from major shipyards to smaller suppliers nationwide.
The Government also confirmed an £8 billion agreement to export 20 Typhoon fighter jets to Türkiye, supporting a further 20,000 jobs and reinforcing NATO’s collective defence. Additional exports include the sale of 12 C-130 aircraft to Türkiye, worth more than £550 million to UK defence firms and Marshall Aerospace Group, safeguarding around 1,400 jobs in Cambridge, and the export of military vehicles by Devon-based firm Supacat to Czechia’s armed forces.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the results showed the Government was delivering on its pledge to make defence “an engine for economic growth” while strengthening security at home and abroad. He highlighted the Norway frigate deal as a driver of growth in Scotland and across the UK, and the Typhoon sale as vital to sustaining aerospace jobs in Lancashire and beyond.
The surge in exports aligns with the Government’s Strategic Defence Review, which aims to expand defence exports while deepening cooperation with NATO allies. This month, the UK and Norway signed the Lunna House agreement to enhance joint naval operations in the North Atlantic, alongside new investments in submarine-hunting capabilities using uncrewed systems.
Looking ahead, ministers say they intend to build on 2025’s momentum with further export campaigns in 2026, targeting advanced aircraft, maritime technologies and armoured vehicles such as Boxer. The UK has also joined the Agreement on Defence Export Controls with France, Germany and Spain, a move designed to simplify exports to partner nations.
Defence export statistics, which date back to 1983, show that 2025 is on course to be the strongest year on record, as the Ministry of Defence undertakes its largest programme of reform in more than half a century to strengthen international collaboration and exports. Photo by ArildV, Wikimedia commons.