April 2025 Defence Tech Written Questions & Answers Top Themes

The top 5 five themes related to Defence Technology in the Ministry of Defence written questions and answers in April 2025:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration in Defence

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is significantly expanding its investment and research into Artificial Intelligence (AI), with an emphasis on leveraging AI to enhance decision-making, logistics, surveillance, and threat detection capabilities. Questions in Parliament have shown particular interest in how AI will be operationalised in command-and-control systems, intelligence analysis, and autonomous systems. The MOD has acknowledged AI's potential to provide the UK Armed Forces with a strategic edge and is working closely with industry and academia to develop ethical, secure, and scalable AI solutions. Recent efforts include the development of AI assurance frameworks and ethical guidelines to ensure that deployed AI technologies align with UK values and comply with international law, especially in conflict scenarios.

2. Advancement of Directed Energy Weapons

The MOD’s acceleration of the DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) system is a major highlight in the recent defence technology discourse. This next-generation system uses highly focused energy beams to neutralise threats such as drones, missiles, and small boats with precision, speed, and minimal collateral damage. Parliamentarians have expressed strong support for the decision to bring forward operational deployment by five years, aiming to install the DragonFire system on four Royal Navy destroyers by 2027. This initiative is seen not only as a technological leap but also as a cost-effective countermeasure compared to traditional munitions, with each laser shot costing only a few pounds. The MOD has also indicated that this capability will be crucial for defending naval assets and critical infrastructure against evolving threats in contested environments.

3. Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) Initiatives

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) remains a cornerstone of the UK’s efforts to develop, trial, and integrate cutting-edge technologies into the defence domain. In Parliament, Dstl’s recent completion of a four-year AI Science and Technology Programme was highlighted as a key milestone. This programme facilitated experimentation with AI in areas such as predictive maintenance, automated threat analysis, and human-machine teaming. Additionally, Dstl has been instrumental in advancing research into synthetic biology, quantum sensing, and advanced materials, with the aim of giving UK forces a technological advantage on future battlefields. Dstl is also working to ensure that AI systems used in defence contexts are explainable, accountable, and robust under adversarial conditions—factors crucial for operational trust and mission assurance.

4. Defence Industrial Strategy and Procurement Reform

The restructuring of the UK’s defence procurement framework, led by the newly established National Armaments Director (NAD) Group, has emerged as a strategic priority. This reform is designed to address longstanding inefficiencies in defence acquisition and foster faster, more agile adoption of innovative technologies. The NAD Group will consolidate organisations such as Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the Submarine Delivery Agency, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory under a unified governance model. The goal is to create a more integrated and responsive industrial base capable of delivering high-tech equipment at pace and scale. Parliamentarians have asked how this reform will affect domestic suppliers, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and the MOD has pledged to improve transparency, reduce bureaucracy, and promote competition to drive innovation in defence tech.

5. International Collaboration on Defence Technologies

The UK is deepening its defence technology partnerships with key allies, reflecting the globalised nature of emerging military threats and the collaborative effort required to counter them. Notably, parliamentary interest has centred on the AUKUS trilateral agreement with the United States and Australia, which includes a pillar focused on advanced capability sharing, such as quantum technologies, cyber defence, undersea systems, and AI. The UK has also participated in joint AI trials aimed at improving interoperability of machine learning algorithms across allied platforms. These collaborations not only strengthen collective security but also ensure that UK defence technology remains interoperable and complementary within broader alliance frameworks like NATO. MPs have also queried how these partnerships impact sovereignty and data security, with the MOD confirming that strategic autonomy will be preserved while still benefiting from shared innovation.