Europe’s leading defence technology company, Helsing, has officially opened its first UK Resilience Factory in Plymouth, marking a significant step in strengthening allied anti-submarine capabilities. The new 18,000-square-foot facility, opened by the Secretary of State for Defence, will serve as Helsing’s Maritime Centre of Excellence, focusing on the production and development of autonomous underwater systems.
The factory will immediately create high-skilled manufacturing jobs in the South West, with plans to scale to hundreds of positions. Its primary focus is the manufacture and maintenance of the SG-1 Fathom, a British-designed and built autonomous underwater glider. These gliders are integrated with Helsing’s proprietary Maritime AI platform, Lura, to form constellations that provide persistent underwater surveillance. This capability is crucial for detecting enemy submarines and protecting vital sea lanes and undersea critical national infrastructure.
The opening fulfills a plan announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and is part of Helsing’s £350 million commitment to the UK. The facility, which has already begun production and sea trials from nearby Turnchapel Wharf and sites in Scotland, will also house a high-tech R&D hub to rapidly iterate and advance its maritime technologies.
The investment underscores the UK government’s strategy to leverage defence spending for economic growth. Defence Secretary John Healey MP stated that the factory shows the benefits of defence growth deals, which are “making defence an engine for growth to deliver national and economic security.” He highlighted the reversal of a trend that saw industrial jobs leave cities like Plymouth.
Ned Baker, Managing Director of Helsing UK, emphasized the local and strategic impact: “From Plymouth we’ll be manufacturing the autonomous systems that keep our sailors, ships and infrastructure safe.”
The initiative strengthens ‘Team Plymouth’, a partnership between Helsing, national government, the University of Plymouth, and Plymouth City Council, reinforcing the city’s status as a designated Defence Growth Zone. Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP noted that this investment reflects confidence in Britain’s engineering talent and is aligned with the government’s goal to direct at least 10% of MOD procurement spending towards novel technologies.
