Feature: UK parliamentary report calls for improved procurement

MGI Engineering's TigerShark one-way effector during flight testing under the UK's Project Brakestop. The company announced its first successful flights in April 2026. (MGI)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) should accelerate defence procurement, accept greater risk in developing new capabilities, and establish contracts that allow industry to expand production during a conflict, the UK Parliament's House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has recommended. Its report, published on 11 November 2026, says the UK needs an industrial base able to replenish munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and adapt equipment as technology changes.

The report calls for closer, earlier engagement between the MoD and industry; more flexible procurement; stronger support for smaller suppliers; and measures to secure production, supply chains and skills.

Accepting risk

On 2 September 2026, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard, said in a written parliamentary response that on 1 April the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group had launched a new segmented approach to procurement, which tailors acquisition routes to the type of capability, supplier and levels of risk. These are:

The committee's report welcomes the government's segmented procurement model. It says the MoD must accelerate procurement, treat speed as a key performance indicator, and take further action if it is falling short of the targets by June 2027. It also calls for annual parliamentary reporting on performance in each segment and says the pace of delivery and iteration should carry appropriate weight when procuring innovative capabilities. The MoD told Janes