Image: UK MoD X
Britain convened 13 defence firms alongside Gulf ambassadors to accelerate military exports as Iran’s drone and missile strikes continue across the region.
The UK government brought senior defence industry leaders and Gulf diplomatic officials together to explore rapid new military support for regional partners facing sustained Iranian attacks.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard chaired the session. It drew representatives from 13 British-based defence companies alongside ambassadors and defence attachés from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Iraq, and Jordan. Defence Secretary John Healey and Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer also attended — a clear signal of the priority London places on the crisis.
Missiles and momentum
The Ministry of Defence confirmed plans to purchase additional Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM), manufactured by Thales UK in Belfast. The missiles will supply British forces and support partners across the region, with UK-based training offered where needed. The LMM has already proven its worth in Middle East air defence operations, according to the MOD.
Discussions focused on defensive equipment and technology British firms could export at speed to counter Iranian drone and missile strikes. Attendees included BAE Systems, MBDA, Leonardo UK, QinetiQ, and Thales, alongside smaller innovative firms such as Uforce, Ocean Infinity, and Cambridge Aerospace — selected for their strengths in air defence, counter-drone systems, and command-and-control software.
A dedicated export task force
The MOD’s National Armaments Director (NAD) Group has stood up a new Task Force to accelerate financing and licensing for Gulf defence exports. It will coordinate across government, manage conflict-driven pressures on the UK supply chain, and capture requirements for stock replenishment.
Healey was direct. “Iran’s indiscriminate attacks are a threat to Britain, our allies and our partners in the region,” he said. “A nation’s Armed Forces are only as strong as the industry that supports them.”
Pollard described the meeting as a deliberate shift in approach. “We are actively pulling in allies and industry to drive the pace on the defence kit the Middle East needs,” he said, adding the UK would remove export barriers and champion innovative domestic firms.
Wider strategic backdrop
The push comes as the UK deepens military engagement across the Middle East, with Royal Navy and RAF assets committed to defensive operations in the region. London has simultaneously struck a new bilateral agreement with Ukraine — described as a world-leading partnership — to strengthen defences against the proliferation of low-cost, high-tech military hardware, including drones, technology Iran has deployed extensively against Gulf partners.
Gulf states have been accelerating efforts to modernise and diversify air defence capabilities as Iranian-linked threats intensify. Thursday’s meeting, the NAD Group confirmed, is the opening move in a sustained campaign of engagement — further industry and diplomatic sessions are already planned.
Source: UK MoD Press Release
