Faster than the best, better than the rest: UKDI launches new cycle of Innovation Support to Operations

Faster than the best, better than the rest: UKDI launches new cycle of Innovation Support to Operations
UKDI launches Cycle 8 of Innovation Support to Operations - a fast paced competition to identify and accelerate innovative technologies for scalable manufacture and urgent defence deployment.
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UKDI has launched Cycle 8 of Innovation Support to Operations
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Funded by the Ministry of Defence
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Cycle 8 closes at 12:00 Midday on 22 September 2026 (BST)
UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) sits within the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group, the part of UK defence responsible for developing, delivering and sustaining the UK’s national arsenal, as well as managing the defence estate, including its housing and harbour infrastructure.
UKDI is inviting innovators from across UK industry and academia to submit proposals with a clear route to operational deployment. Solutions must combine technical excellence with affordability, manufacturability and the ability to scale quickly to get into operational use within 12 months of the end of the project.
Our aim is simple: deliver useful technology into service faster than our adversaries.
Projects are expected to achieve at least Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 within 4 months and demonstrate performance in representative operational environments. Beyond proving the technology, innovators will need to show how production could be rapidly increased to meet deployment demands.
If you have an innovation that could be deployed at an appropriate scale, in operational areas within 12 months of contract end, please read the full competition document and submit a proposal.
The Challenge Areas:
The competition focuses on five challenge areas where novel technologies could deliver immediate operational impact:
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Counter UAS interceptor sensors
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One-way attack UAS seekers
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Platform survivability
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Telemetry data communications
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Maritime autonomous navigation
Across all challenge areas, UKDI is looking for solutions with a credible pathway to manufacture and scale, ensuring successful technologies can move beyond demonstration and into real-world operational use. These challenges align with UKDI’s new thematic framework.
For full details of the requirements of each challenge area, please read the competition document.
Key dates and funding:
Applications must be submitted through the UKDI Online Submission Service by 12:00 midday (BST) on 22 September 2026.
Funding decisions are expected to be communicated in December 2026, with successful projects aiming to start in January 2027.
Projects are expected to cost no more than £350,000, although proposals up to £1 million (excluding VAT) will be considered. Contracts are expected to begin in January 2027 and run for up to four months.
Encouraging innovation and collaboration
The competition is open to UK-registered businesses, sole traders and academic institutions undertaking project activity within the UK.
Innovators are encouraged to engage with their local UKDI Innovation Partner to discuss ideas and explore suitability for the competition. UKDI is also supporting collaboration between organisations through a dedicated collaboration survey, helping innovators identify potential partners and complementary expertise.
Projects selected for funding will receive support from UKDI project managers, technical partners and military stakeholders throughout delivery.
How to get involved?
Innovators with solutions that could address these challenge areas are encouraged to engage early with their local UKDI Innovation Partner.