Context · UK MOD · UK
UK Defence Investment Plan: £298bn over four years, £1.6bn for UK Defence Innovation, >£5bn autonomy; UKDI open calls relaunched Aug 2026
UK Ministry of Defence / UK Defence Innovation · published 30 Jun 2026 · ✓ analyst reviewed · Source ↗
Deadline—
Budget / value€348.00bn
£298bn ≈ €348bn over 4 years; £1.6bn UKDI; >£5bn autonomy; £100m RAID AI taskforce
Statusopen
Why it matters
UK demand is large but the UK is outside SAFE and EDF — for EU companies it is a separate sales motion via UKDI/DASA competitions and UK primes; watch the UKDI/DASA GOV.UK collection for the next open-call cycle.
Summary
The UK's Defence Investment Plan (30 June 2026) commits £298bn over four years, £1.6bn to UK Defence Innovation (UKDI, ≥£400m/yr, full operating capability July 2026), >£5bn to autonomy and £100m to the RAID AI taskforce. DASA was absorbed into UKDI in July 2025; UKDI relaunched its Security Open Call on 3 August 2026 (cycle 1 closes 27 August) with more cycles through 2027, and themed competitions are announced on GOV.UK.
Related
Funding call
UKDI
· UK
· deadline 17 Sep 2026 (31d)
· €702k
Dstl is seeding low-TRL autonomy ideas with small, fast contracts and a signalled £600k Phase 2 follow-on, a low-barrier entry point into UK MOD autonomy work. Relevant to autonomy/robotics research teams and university-linked startups; note Stage 1 has already closed, so only invited applicants can now submit. Do: If invited at Stage 1, submit your Stage 2 proposal via the UKDI Online Submission Service before midday 17 September 2026; otherwise watch for the Phase 2 competition and the Dstl Autonomy Programme Incubator's next call.
Award
· Poland
· €17.5m
Continued build-out of Poland's main MALE UAV base (Mirosławiec) includes purpose-built hangars and hardened ground control station shelters, indicating sustained infrastructure spend around unmanned aviation. Relevant to construction subcontractors and to suppliers of GCS shelters, power/generator sets and airfield electrical/telecom systems in Poland. Do: Contact DUNA Polska S.A. and LOGON S.A. as subcontractor for hangar structures, shelter systems, MV/LV power and airfield telecom works at Mirosławiec.
Tender
· Sweden
· deadline 14 Sep 2026 (28d)
· €704k
Upphandlingen avser leda fram till ett ramavtal med en leverantör för att säkerställa effektiv och pålitlig tillgång till modern och framtidssäkrad UAS-förmåga. Behovet omfattar båda anskaffning av kompletterande enheter…
Award
· Spain
· €960k
De conformidad con el apartado 2 del CCP.
Award
· Portugal
· €4.5m
A mid-size civil/dual-use underwater robotics buy in an Atlantic region, won by a Spanish integrator rather than a Portuguese or northern-European ROV house — a reference point for UUV/ROV makers on who is winning Iberian research-vessel work. Relevant to ROV/UUV builders and subsea sensor, tether, manipulator and control-software suppliers. Do: If you supply subsea sensors, manipulators, tethers or ROV control software, approach OMIL & GONZALEZ SL as integrator for the Azores research-vessel ROV module build.
Context
UKDI
· UK
· deadline 27 Aug 2026 (10d)
UKDI is the main low-barrier UK entry point for single-company defence innovation funding, and the Defence-side route is being rebuilt after the Defence Investment Plan — meaning the Security Open Call is currently the only broad open door. Relevant to autonomy, space, sensing and security-tech scale-ups and SMEs able to bid alone without a consortium. Do: Submit to the Security Open Call 2026 Cycle 1 by 27 August 2026 or Innovation Support to Operations Cycle 8 by 22 September 2026 via the UKDI portal, and email accelerator@dstl.gov.uk for scope clarification; contact the UKDI Help Centre about Defence Innovation Loans while cycles are paused.
Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a44e989167a99cf0018da38/The_Defence_Investment_Plan.pdf — summarised by Rearm Radar; verify details at source before bidding. Enrichment: analyst (confidence 95%).