High-Growth Sector
Defence & Security Systems
A market overview of active UK companies in Defence & Security Systems. Figures exclude dormant and dissolved companies. Data refreshed 30 Apr 2026.
Active companies
596
trading & on register
Reporting turnover
145
24% of active
Reporting employees
528
89% of active
Register health
9%
of 667 on register are dormant
Company size (employees)
Active companies reporting employee counts
Turnover distribution
Active companies reporting turnover
Where they're based
Active companies by major UK city (30km London, 15–20km elsewhere)
New formations by year
Active companies incorporated under this category (dormant shells excluded)
Largest by turnover
| # | Company | Turnover | EBITDA | Employees | 3y growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAE SYSTEMS PLC | £28.6B | £4.1B | - | 10% |
| 2 | BAE SYSTEMS (OPERATIONS) LIMITED | £7.1B | £765.0M | 16,609 | 4% |
| 3 | BAE SYSTEMS MARINE LIMITED | £2.8B | £300.8M | 12,428 | 18% |
| 4 | AWE PLC | £2.1B | £11.5M | 8,566 | 15% |
| 5 | QINETIQ GROUP PLC | £1.9B | £128.7M | 8,403 | 13% |
| 6 | BAE SYSTEMS SURFACE SHIPS LIMITED | £1.7B | £137.4M | 8,429 | 8% |
| 7 | MBDA UK LIMITED | £1.3B | £140.3M | 5,588 | 5% |
| 8 | QINETIQ LIMITED | £1.3B | £207.7M | 5,353 | 11% |
| 9 | BOWMER AND KIRKLAND LIMITED | £1.3B | £41.7M | 1,962 | 3% |
| 10 | RAYTHEON SYSTEMS LIMITED | £729.0M | £158.6M | 1,907 | 25% |
| 11 | CHEMRING GROUP PLC | £517.5M | £93.9M | 2,822 | 5% |
| 12 | BAE SYSTEMS APPLIED INTELLIGENCE LIMITED | £470.4M | £22.5M | 2,724 | 4% |
| 13 | BAE SYSTEMS SERVICES LIMITED | £434.7M | £1.8M | 1,870 | 1700% |
| 14 | BAE SYSTEMS GLOBAL COMBAT SYSTEMS MUNITIONS LIMITED | £370.0M | £49.1M | 1,366 | 15% |
| 15 | LOCKHEED MARTIN UK LIMITED | £328.9M | £30.4M | 929 | 9% |
| 16 | AVON TECHNOLOGIES PLC | £313.9M | £51.6M | 982 | 8% |
| 17 | AMENTUM CLEAN ENERGY LIMITED | £303.7M | £15.3M | 1,412 | 26% |
| 18 | MARSHALL OF CAMBRIDGE (HOLDINGS) LIMITED | £300.9M | £95.0M | 2,081 | -58% |
| 19 | RAPISCAN SYSTEMS LIMITED | £286.9M | £35.9M | 477 | 14% |
| 20 | COHORT PLC | £270.0M | £34.6M | - | 25% |
Fastest-growing
Active companies with turnover ≥ £1m, sorted by 3-year turnover CAGR
| # | Company | Turnover | Employees | 3y turnover growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAE SYSTEMS SERVICES LIMITED | £434.7M | 1,870 | 1700% |
| 2 | RHEINMETALL MAN MILITARY VEHICLES UK LTD | £265.8M | 36 | 146% |
| 3 | KBS MARITIME LIMITED | £105.3M | 357 | 119% |
| 4 | SIERRA NEVADA CORPORATION MISSION SYSTEMS UK, LTD | £14.8M | 49 | 106% |
| 5 | MBDA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED | £11.2M | 50 | 96% |
| 6 | BAE SYSTEMS STRATEGIC AEROSPACE SERVICES LIMITED | £7.8M | 115 | 91% |
| 7 | AMENTUM (UK) LTD. | £103.6M | 210 | 70% |
| 8 | KONGSBERG NORCONTROL LIMITED | £20.3M | 15 | 61% |
| 9 | SUPACAT LIMITED | £58.1M | 139 | 59% |
| 10 | SECURECLOUD+ LIMITED | £40.8M | 115 | 55% |
| 11 | INSTRO PRECISION LIMITED | £31.0M | 83 | 53% |
| 12 | MSI-DEFENCE SYSTEMS LTD | £81.3M | 193 | 45% |
| 13 | BAE SYSTEMS PROPERTIES LIMITED | £100.4M | 112 | 43% |
| 14 | AWERIAN LIMITED | £12.7M | 43 | 43% |
| 15 | EASAT RADAR SYSTEMS LTD | £16.9M | 42 | 42% |
| 16 | DOMO TACTICAL COMMUNICATIONS (DTC) LIMITED | £72.9M | 144 | 42% |
| 17 | BAE SYSTEMS ARABIAN INDUSTRIES (SUPPLY CHAIN - UK) LTD | £37.1M | 86 | 42% |
| 18 | MILDEF LIMITED | £9.6M | 18 | 42% |
| 19 | KNDS DEFENCE UK LIMITED | £66.8M | 326 | 41% |
| 20 | HORIZON LAND LIMITED | £3.5M | - | 40% |
Newest formations
Most recently incorporated active companies
| # | Company | Location | Incorporated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS LIMITED | Warrington | 2025 |
| 2 | JLC MECHANICAL LTD | Benfleet | 2025 |
| 3 | FRANKLIN LTD | London | 2024 |
| 4 | ULTRA I&C HOLDINGS LIMITED | London | 2024 |
| 5 | JLC ENTERPRISE GROUP LTD | Canterbury | 2024 |
| 6 | DAVIS ENGINEERING LIMITED | Halesowen | 2023 |
| 7 | RHEINMETALL REAL ESTATE BRISTOL LIMITED | Bristol | 2023 |
| 8 | GARDIAN DEFENCE LTD | Alcester | 2023 |
| 9 | WHITE FOX SECURITY LTD | Sheffield | 2023 |
| 10 | LPP HOLDINGS LTD | Beverley | 2023 |
| 11 | SIRIUS DIGITAL SERVICES LIMITED | Southwick Road | 2023 |
| 12 | SELBY73 LTD | Selby | 2023 |
| 13 | BLACKWOLF SPECIAL OPERATIONS LTD | London | 2023 |
| 14 | KONGSBERG DISCOVERY UK LIMITED | Westhill | 2023 |
| 15 | EMC OPERATIONS LTD | Cardiff | 2023 |
| 16 | MASS CONSULTING GROUP LTD | Potters Bar | 2023 |
| 17 | IMREX LIMITED | Bradford | 2023 |
| 18 | PINNACLE ATLAS LTD | Addingham | 2022 |
| 19 | BOKA CONSULTANTS LTD | London | 2022 |
| 20 | MKU SOLUTIONS LIMITED | London | 2022 |