Sunday, November 8, 2026
TGOs

The business of defense

Get the Weekly
Topics
Menu
Search

Industry · Submarines

Rolls-Royce's submarine reactor business plans large-component prototyping at a Derby technology park

Rolls-Royce expects the Derby technology park to expand capacity supporting submarine programmes while allowing its Raynesway site to focus on delivery.

Rolls-Royce Submarines announced a partnership on Nov. 6 with INFINITY, a private company creating a technology park in Derby, to develop large-scale prototypes of advanced defence components.1

Rolls-Royce Submarines announced a strategic partnership with INFINITY

aimed at developing large-scale prototypes of advanced defence components

technology park in Derbyfull-scale prototypingplanned

digital engineering, testing and validation, skills development and supply chain collaboration

technologies and processes includinghot isostatic pressingplanned

power beam welding and additive manufacturing

Rolls-Royce release, 6 November 2026

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

Lee Warren, engineering and technology director at Rolls-Royce Submarines, said the park would allow the company to focus on delivery at Raynesway while developing advanced manufacturing techniques at purpose-built facilities. Warren tied the need to explore new technologies to the business's growth to meet demand for naval nuclear propulsion work. That includes increasing its manufacturing pace and providing reactors to Australia under the AUKUS agreement.1

The planned capabilities include hot isostatic pressing, power beam welding and additive manufacturing. Rolls-Royce expects these to provide greater control over manufacturing large, strategically important components for markets including fission, fusion, defence and aerospace.1

The Rolls-Royce Nuclear Skills Academy already operates on the 200-acre site, where the company will work with INFINITY to develop the additional capabilities. The park is intended to bring full-scale prototyping, digital engineering, testing and validation, skills development and supply chain collaboration together on one site.1

Rolls-Royce Submarines designs, manufactures and supports the pressurised water reactors powering every Royal Navy submarine. It currently supplies reactor plant and associated components for the Astute and Dreadnought build programmes.1

Rolls-Royce expects the new capabilities to shorten development cycles and expand the industrial capacity available to support submarine programmes. The announcement gives no timetable for bringing those capabilities into use.1

Sources (1)
  1. Rolls-Royce: Rolls-Royce Submarines partners with INFINITY to develop new capabilities for UK defence, Nov. 6, 2026 www.rolls-royce.com
Story permalink ↗
Keep readingBack to top ↑

Next story

Industry · Uncrewed aircraft

Airbus scraps Wingman combat drone, Breaking Defense reports

Breaking Defense reports that customers sought earlier service entry, prompting Airbus to pursue a design derived from its Barracuda demonstrator.

Airbus has scrapped development of its Wingman combat drone concept as Germany accelerated the timetable for potential service entry, Breaking Defense reported from Munich on Nov. 3.1

Airbus has scrapped development of its Wingman concept aircraft

Airbus decided to pursue development of the U760

Wingman was to usea bespoke engineplanned

Wingman was to use a bespoke engine from Rolls Royce Deutschland and ITP Aero

the U760 will usea business jet engineplanned

the U760 will use a business jet engine

Reported by Breaking Defense. As of Nov. 3, 2026.

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

Laurent Le Quément, Airbus's head of future air power and uncrewed aerial systems marketing, told reporters at the International Fighter Conference that customers wanted earlier service entry. He said Airbus chose to pursue the U760 because it builds on the Barracuda demonstrator.1

He did not identify the customer, though Airbus said in 2024 that Wingman was designed for emerging German Air Force requirements. At Wingman's 2024 unveiling, Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn had indicated a fielding timeline much closer to 2040.1

Breaking Defense also reported that Airbus is developing the U740 Valkyrie with Kratos to support a 2029 German requirement. The outlet cited recent reporting that the requirement's timeline was in doubt after Germany reconsidered a direct purchase of Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat drones. That left competitors including Airbus, offering Valkyrie, still in the running for an order from Berlin.1

The U760 is to use a business jet engine; Wingman was to use a bespoke engine from Rolls-Royce Deutschland and ITP Aero, Breaking Defense reported, citing Le Quément.1

Sources (1)
  1. Breaking Defense: Wingman out, Ravenstorm in, Airbus changes tact to meet Germany's accelerated operations timeline breakingdefense.com
Story permalink ↗

Next story

Industry · Foreign supplier

Indra’s $50 million Kansas plant produces FAA radars and radios

The Olathe factory is producing equipment for FAA programs; Indra also plans to build portable navigation systems there for the Air Force.

Indra’s $50 million plant in Olathe, Kansas, is fully operational. The 118,000-square-foot facility is producing next-generation radars and NEXCOM VHF/UHF air-to-ground digital radios for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs.1

Olathe facility is now fully operational

$50 million investment by Indra Group

ADS-B radiosmore than 1,500planned

The facility will also produce

U.S. Air Forceportable Tactical Air Navigation (MP-TACAN) systemsplanned

The facility will also produce

Source: Indra Group, Oct. 15, 2026

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

Indra also plans to manufacture portable Tactical Air Navigation (MP-TACAN) systems for the U.S. Air Force at Olathe. The plant will also produce more than 1,500 ADS-B radios, Indra said.1

Indra held the plant’s grand opening on April 20, 2026.2 Olathe complements the company’s existing 40,000-square-foot facility in nearby Overland Park, Kansas.1

In its April 20 grand-opening release, Indra said the added space provides capacity to fulfill a multimillion-dollar FAA contract for next-generation air traffic surveillance radars. That contract is under the Brand-New Air Traffic Control System initiative.2

Sources (2)
  1. Indra Group: Indra Group hosts Secretary Duffy and Senator Marshall at Kansas facility to highlight aviation and defense manufacturing www.indragroup.com
  2. Indra Group: Indra Group USA celebrates grand opening of new manufacturing Center of Excellence in Kansas (Apr. 20, 2026) www.indragroup.com
Story permalink ↗

More from TGOs