HOW AUTOMATION CAN BOLSTER THE UK’ S SOVEREIGN AUTOMATION DEFENCE CAPABILITIES
BY OLIVER SELBY, HEAD OF SALES, FANUC UK
World military expenditure has increased by almost 10 % from 2023 to 2024, reaching $ 2,718 billion. And the UK is no exception, having committed to increase defence spending to 3.5 % of GDP by 2035 as part of a NATO agreement. With multiple countries striving to shore up sovereign defence capabilities, prices are likely to increase. How can the UK ensure it doesn’ t get left behind?
Automation remains the fastest and most efficient route to increasing production capacity. And as a leading robot manufacturer, with a longstanding British presence, FANUC is perfectly placed to provide domestic automation capabilities. By supporting not only prime and tier defence companies, but also increasing automation capacity within wider manufacturing facilities, we can bolster the full UK sovereign supply chain.
Cyber resilience as standard
It must be acknowledged that FANUC is a Japaneseowned company. However, there are defence programmes of work currently underway that involve both the British and Japanese governments, underlining the mutual trust and support between the two nations.
Linked to this issue of mutual international trust is cybersecurity. Setting mandatory cybersecurity requirements for hardware and software products with a digital element, the EU’ s new Cyber Resilience Act( CRA) comes into effect from September 2026. All UK machine providers will be affected and it will alter how equipment is risk assessed and CE marked.
The new FANUC R50iA controller – based on the latest CNC hardware, FS500 – is already fully CRA compliant, making it easier for our customers to complete their risk assessment. Going forward, all our robots will feature this new controller as standard, while our oIder controllers are currently undergoing validation to ensure they also meet the new standards.
Reliability meets innovation
Equipment longevity and avoiding obsolescence are also key drivers in defence and aerospace projects, not least because they often involve multiple stakeholders and layers of complex engineering and compliance requirements. FANUC provides lifetime support on our products, assuring spare parts availability and local service support worldwide.
Yet innovation is equally crucial. We work closely with manufacturers, as well as organisations at the cutting edge of R & D( including universities, R & D / training institutes and High Value Manufacturing Catapults), to ensure we can respond swiftly to changing customer demands.
A prime example of this is Project Compass( Composites at Speed and Scale), an £ 80m investment which includes an aerospace manufacturing R & D project delivered by a consortium of companies including our system integrator partner Loop Technology, Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre( AMRC). Three FANUC M-2000iA / 1700L six-axis industrial robots are being employed as part of the project, as well as an M-2000iA 1200L and a 900L model.
We also supported Airbus with its in-house robotics strategy, developing an industrial drilling robot( the M-800iA / 60) to meet the company’ s specific requirement.
Reducing project risk
Engaging regularly with prime manufacturers and their first tier suppliers is crucial to success in the defence and aerospace sectors. Keeping the supply chain tight helps to reduce financial risks, technical risks and security risks, as well as speed up project delivery. We look forward to seeing the results of our increased focus on bolstering the UK’ s defence capabilities with domestic automation solutions, and the security benefits this can deliver for all.
Witness the future of precision engineering at FANUC’ s brand-new machinery event, taking place 27- 29 January 2026 at FANUC UK, Ansty Park, Coventry. To register your interest in attending‘ The Future of Precision Engineering’, go to https:// ukopenhouse. fanuc. eu /# whats-on
www. fanuc-academy. uk
34 AUTOMATION, CONTROL & ENGINEERING