By James Neely, Strategy Partnerships Director for Defence at NCC.
Resilient defence is no longer a matter of theory - it’s mission critical. In a world of accelerating change, we must deliver platforms designed to withstand disruption and evolve under pressure. At NCC, we engineer with this future in mind.
We’ve been doing it for over a decade. NCC was created in 2011 to bridge the gap between world-class research and industrial application. Since then, we’ve delivered over 1,400 collaborative R&D projects with partners across aerospace, energy, transport, and defence.
Defence supply chains are being tested from all directions - geopolitics, climate, emerging tech. Traditional procurement simply can’t move fast enough. What we offer is something more agile, more integrated, and far more grounded in reality.
Digital twins sit at the heart of this transformation. They give engineers the ability to simulate, optimise and de-risk before committing to physical build. The impact? Shorter development cycles and stronger design decisions.
We’re not theorising - we’re doing. In our data-rich environments, engineers test real scenarios, edge cases and failure modes. We’re shaving months off delivery and building in assurance from day one.
Our track record proves it. From developing lighter, more durable protection systems for military vehicles to creating scalable digital testbeds for composite structures—we’ve delivered on some of the UK’s most ambitious engineering programmes.
But this isn’t just about tools. It’s about control. Sovereign capability means having UK hands on every critical element - design, materials, validation.
We don’t just support the big players. We bring SMEs into the fold with access to high-end tools and scale-up support. This builds resilience across the whole industrial base.
Sustainability isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s part of operational readiness. At NCC, we’re making sure environmental responsibility is embedded from the outset.
Our Sustainability Maturity Level (SML) framework gives engineers a way to track and improve environmental performance - without slowing down delivery. We help defence teams design for both mission and mandate. This isn’t future vision - it’s real. We’ve supported lightweight composite systems already in service. They’re cutting emissions and costs while maintaining strength.
Composites aren’t just lighter - they’re smarter. From corrosion resistance to embedded sensors, they open the door to next-gen architecture.
And we’re enabling companies to get there faster. Our testbeds handle mission-relevant loading and real-world stress. That’s the difference between a prototype and a platform.
We don’t operate in a vacuum. We draw in innovation from sectors that have already cracked the hard problems. Then we adapt and apply.
Aerospace taught us speed-to-certification. Automotive gave us scalable manufacturing. Energy helped us think long-term. Defence benefits from all of it.
People matter as much as platforms. We’re growing sovereign capability by training the engineers who’ll lead it. Talent is national infrastructure.
At DSEI 2025, we’ll bring this to life. No slides. Just systems, stories and the people behind them. We’d love to show you what’s next.
NCC will be showcasing how we're supporting industry to turn ideas into impact at DSEI 2025 which is taking place from September 9-12 at ExCel London. You can find us on stand N4-210 in the North Halls Manufacturing Hub.