Securing access to materials is one of the key challenges facing the European defence industry. On 9 July, the Luxembourg-based company Uplift360, which specialises in advanced materials, announced the signing of a multi-year framework agreement with the Directorate of Defence. The aim is to develop a European supply chain for advanced materials, intended in particular for the defence and aerospace sectors, at a time when NATO countries are strengthening their industrial capabilities.

The agreement provides for the production of high-performance materials using raw materials sourced exclusively from Europe. The aim is to minimise exposure to geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, whilst ensuring the availability of these materials for European industry.

Uplift360 will also support the Defence Directorate in identifying requirements for advanced materials, developing new technologies and strengthening production capacity in order to secure the supply chain.

Against the backdrop of the Nato summit

The announcement comes a few days after the Nato summit in Ankara, where the Allies reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Alliance’s defence industrial base. At the Nato Summit Defence Industry Forum, discussions focused in particular on critical raw materials and securing supply chains.

According to the company, this agreement is part of this drive and should help to develop a European supply chain for advanced materials.

“Demand will only increase”

Sam Staincliffe, co-founder and managing director of Uplift360, believes that demand will continue to grow. “Demand for advanced materials will only increase across Nato Europe. The Alliance needs a resilient, continent-wide supply chain, and our framework agreement with the Luxembourg Defence Directorate contributes to this objective. Over the next decade, we will scale up our production of advanced materials so that the industry can keep pace with operational requirements.”

Supply chains at the heart of the strategy

The Minister for Defence, Yuriko Backes (DP) emphasises the role of supply chains in developing industrial capabilities. “Robust supply chains form the foundation for the essential strengthening of our defence industry. Our state of readiness depends on them. Through this multi-year framework agreement, Luxembourg is promoting innovation and optimising the use of resources, whilst contributing to our resilience and the protection of the environment.”

The chairman of the Nato Innovation Fund, Ari Kristinn Jónsson, sees this agreement as an illustration of the potential of the technologies developed by Uplift360 to address vulnerabilities in the European supply chain for advanced materials. He believes that the support provided by the fund helps to transform technological innovation into industrial capacity that serves the Alliance.