BAE Systems has announced a significant advancement in explosives manufacturing technology, poised to transform the production of energetics and propellants starting from late next year. The British defense firm has invested £8.5 million (approximately $11.28 million) in innovative manufacturing methods, enabling the creation of explosives and propellants that eliminate the dependency on nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin—materials currently facing high demand.
This development is expected to bolster production capacities within the UK, catering to both domestic and international markets. The initial phase of this enhanced industrial capability is projected to be operational by the end of 2026. Steve Cardew, Business Development Director at BAE Systems Maritime and Land Defence Solutions, emphasized the significance of this breakthrough by stating, “Our leap forward in synthetic energetics and propellant manufacture will strengthen the UK’s supply chain resilience and support our ramp-up of critical munitions production to meet growing demand in response to the increasingly uncertain world we’re living in.” He further noted the potential implications for economic growth as the initiative aims to generate high-skilled job opportunities and foster export prospects.
The new technology has already been validated through a pilot project that demonstrated the production of explosives across a diverse array of products using small nodes. This approach eliminates the necessity for large-scale explosives manufacturing facilities, thereby reducing both investment requirements and operational costs. Furthermore, the method yields improved safety in production, facilitated by continuous flow processing, which minimizes the amount of explosives present in the manufacturing process at any given moment.
This latest development builds on BAE Systems’ prior commitment, having invested over £150 million (about $199 million) in its UK munitions facilities throughout 2022. Additionally, the company anticipates a 16-fold increase in the production capacity of 155 mm artillery shells with the upcoming operationalization of its new explosives filling facility located in Glascoed, South Wales, this summer. This strategic move underscores BAE Systems’ commitment to enhancing its capabilities in munitions production amidst a backdrop of evolving global security challenges.
