By Stuart Mills, Principal Research Engineer, and Sam Snell, Engineering Capability Lead for Concept Analysis, NCC.
With global threats evolving rapidly, traditional 20-year defence procurement cycles are no longer sustainable. The UK's Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent recognises the need for faster, more adaptive innovation processes to maintain national security and NATO leadership.
So, how can the defence sector respond?
The answer lies in rethinking the early stages of capability development—specifically through structured, cross-sector concept design.
At NCC, we’ve built a dedicated approach to defence concept design that helps organisations move faster, manage risk, and deliver impact—at pace.
1. Unlocking Innovation Through Cross-Sector Collaboration
Defence has often operated in a closed-loop model. But NCC brings together experts from aerospace, Formula 1, offshore energy, transport, and more - creating a rare environment where ideas from one domain can transform another.
This approach is especially powerful for defence, where production volumes are lower and bespoke supply chains harder to maintain. By drawing on insights from high-performance, high-volume sectors, we enable breakthrough thinking that traditional defence primes might struggle to generate in isolation.
2. Using Digital Engineering to Move Faster with Confidence
Speed alone isn’t enough, reliability and mission assurance are non-negotiable in defence. That’s why digital tools are central to our approach.
Through Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), we can validate concepts early in the development cycle, reducing reliance on physical prototypes and accelerating design maturity. Our use of concurrent engineering ensures that materials, manufacturing, geometry, and cost are all considered simultaneously, not sequentially.
This means projects reach higher fidelity faster, without sacrificing technical rigour.
3. De-Risking Innovation with a Structured Design Process
Risk management is critical in defence, especially in the conceptual phase. NCC’s design methodology is tailored for this environment, including:
Early engagement with stakeholders to refine needs
Clear design phases and evaluation gates
Rapid prototyping and access to advanced manufacturing facilities
Transparent, criteria-led decision-making
This gives defence stakeholders the freedom to explore bold new ideas within a robust, risk-controlled framework.
4. Building Industrial Resilience Through Capability and Collaboration
The Defence Industrial Strategy is clear: sovereign capability is a national priority. NCC is actively supporting this ambition through:
Development of UK-based advanced manufacturing skills
Cross-sector knowledge transfer
Workforce training and upskilling
Seamless collaboration between Government, primes, SMEs, and academia
By doing this, we’re strengthening the UK’s industrial base not just for today’s challenges, but for future generations of defence innovation.
5. Delivering Trusted, Flexible Innovation Partnerships
Unlike traditional consultancies, NCC, a partnership of government - local and national – Universities and engineers, embeds deeply with partners as a strategic innovation enabler. Whether leading a full concept study, supporting feasibility assessments, or integrating with in-house engineering teams, we tailor our role to meet the needs of the project.
We’re often involved at the earliest stages, helping define requirements and transition them into real, testable, manufacturable concepts.
Our independence and broad perspective allow us to explore the novel while staying grounded in what’s practical and achievable.
In Summary: A Smarter Path to Faster Defence Capability
The ability to generate, test, and refine concepts quickly is now critical to maintaining operational advantage. Through structured concept design, NCC helps defence organisations:
Leverage cross-sector expertise for novel ideas
Use digital tools to validate faster and reduce cost
Manage innovation risks with a clear, stage-gated process
Support sovereign capability through skills and collaboration
Transition concepts into prototypes and manufactured solutions
Our approach directly aligns with the Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent and offers a practical route to accelerated capability development.
Ready to accelerate your defence project?
Contact us at [email protected] to learn how our concept design capability can help you move faster, manage risk, and deliver real impact.