The UK’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review[1] laid out a decisive shift in how we equip our armed forces in an increasingly precarious geopolitical landscape. Alongside a commitment to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2027, the Review signalled a need to de-risk by reducing reliance on international imports and building just-in-time supply chains.
One of the most acute vulnerabilities in the UK’s defence supply chain today is the absence of sovereign battery cell manufacturing. While the UK leads in battery research, nearly all cells used in soldier systems, tactical communications, drones and hybrid military vehicles are imported. This concentration of supply, combined with tightening export controls worldwide, presents a material operational risk.
Onshoring electrification
As military technology evolves, so do requirements for high performance power and energy storage solutions. The sector is increasingly adopting hybrid and fully electric platforms to enhance field capabilities across land, sea and air. As such, high-density battery systems have become central to the next generation of defence technologies – from small, soldier-mounted battery packs, through unscrewed systems like marine and aerial drones, to hybrid armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs).
These developments translate into lighter, more powerful solutions with a reduced risk of failure during critical operations. Silent mobility and reduced thermal signatures are also much sought-after requirements for military vehicles, further driving demand for batteries that can deliver high performance and durability even in harsh battlefield environments.
These systems must be rugged enough to withstand extreme temperatures, vibration and impact while maintaining safe, consistent output. The pressure to deliver solutions quickly through urgent operational requirements (UORs) must also be balanced with the need for rigorous qualification, safety testing and interoperability with existing platforms.
Additionally, integrating modern power systems into legacy equipment is often complex, requiring careful engineering to avoid compromising the proven reliability and capability of existing products.
Unlocking battery innovation
Modular and swappable energy systems are helping extend mission duration and reduce downtime, while new chemistries and battery cell formats are constantly improving performance, efficiency and battery lifespan.
At Volklec, we’re leveraging the power of our sovereign 21700 VLKCE50 rechargeable lithium-ion cells to help re-evaluate legacy military systems. We created designs for widely used military equipment to house newer battery cell formats without needing to heavily modify the existing housings, originally built on a previous generation of cylindrical cells (18650). These redesigns were developed in collaboration with UK defence partners to demonstrate how sovereign cell production can rapidly enhance the performance of equipment already fielded across the British Army and NATO allies.
The impact on operational performance by adopting 21700 cells is significant: longer mission duration, faster power output and greater reliability under stress are now achievable by upgrading existing housings without reinventing the wheel. For soldiers, vehicles, drones and portable systems, this means fewer battery changes in the field, reduced overall weight for the same or greater energy load, and improved resilience in extreme conditions.
Sovereignty as the master key
Domestic cell production allows manufacturers to respond more quickly to evolving industry needs, while helping OEMs reduce their reliance on long international supply routes. Producing cells and key components in the UK provides greater control over quality, testing and certification, and ensures systems meet the strict standards required for military use.
Beyond immediate operational needs, a strong domestic supply base creates the right conditions for emerging technologies to move rapidly from research to production, ensuring the UK remains competitive and capable of adopting new battery innovations before they mature globally. Importantly, sovereign solutions help catalyse more effective collaboration between defence OEMs and specialist battery manufacturers. This helps shorten development cycles and ensures new technologies can be integrated safely and efficiently into mission-critical equipment.
Securing the future of UK defence power systems
Strengthening sovereign battery capabilities is central to the defence agenda. By bringing production onshore, the UK can reduce supply chain risk, accelerate delivery for core programmes and UORs, and strengthen long-term industrial resilience.
Continued collaboration between government, defence OEMs and specialist battery manufacturers will be vital to fielding reliable, high-performance electrified systems across land, sea and air. For the UK to maintain operational advantage, sovereign control over the power systems that enable these technologies is essential. By establishing cell production on home soil, the UK can strengthen supply chain resilience and secure the freedom to innovate at the pace that the modern defence sector demands.