Prototype warfare: A defence prime’s playbook for turning technology into battlefield capability
Tech.eu Cate Lawrence
Leonardo’s UK capability chief outlined how the defence prime links emerging technologies to deployment by working with startups through alliances, staged funding, and access to testing resources while embedding AI and autonomy into field-tested prototypes. He said government R&D funding is provided over four years to give small firms stable income and planning signals. The approach shifts innovation from one-off trials or acquisitions toward long-term partnership-based prototyping and capability evaluation tied to specific operational needs.
Why it matters
At Tech.eu, I spend a lot of time talking to startups in sectors such as defencetech and spacetech. But startups are only one part of the innovation ecosystem. For founders, understanding how the defe...
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