MOD engagement with trade associations
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-15)

Information on the trade associations that defence procurement works with and alongside.

Trade associations are funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry, and many operate on a not-for-profit basis. Their activities are focused on enhancing the profile of their industry sector, which includes driving innovation, influencing policy debates, and supporting the supply chain and business development, often with a focus on small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

MOD has regular engagement with trade associations, details of which can be found below.

Team Defence Information

Team Defence Information (https://www.teamdefence.info/?sid=e89d0477f63c172b0a4f90e4d7b07593) (TD-Info) is a non-profit membership organisation that brings together the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), industry partners, and international Allies to enable secure, effective collaboration across the defence enterprise. Its mission is to continuously improve the working relationship between the MOD and industry to provide the best capabilities and outcomes for warfighters in the UK and abroad.

TD-Info supports the full lifecycle of defence capabilities - from concept and acquisition to in-service support, disposal and recycling. As a commercially neutral forum, it facilitates conferences, working groups, research projects and thought leadership to address shared challenges and opportunities. It provides a trusted environment for open dialogue and the co-development of activities, policies, standards and tools that strengthen defence capability and sustainability.

TD-Info’s member community spans defence contractors, SMEs, government departments, academia, and end-users working together to improve interoperability, share best practices, and drive innovation across the defence support network.

ADS

ADS represents and supports over 1,100 UK businesses operating in the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. ADS membership ranges from SMEs to global primes.

Farnborough International Limited (https://www.adsgroup.org.uk/about/farnborough-international/) (FIL), which runs the Farnborough International Airshow, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ADS Group Ltd.

Make UK Defence

Make UK Defence (https://www.makeuk.org/defence) is a not-for-profit, member-owned defence trade association that forms part of Make UK.

Make UK Defence champion and support the UK’s innovative and diverse defence supply chain. Their mission is:

to have a deep understanding of members and their challenges within the context of the domestic and global defence industry

to amplify the pivotal role of the UK defence supply chain, while ensuring members’ challenges and concerns are clearly heard and acted upon across government

to help members grow through networking and ‘Meet the Buyer’ opportunities

to help members improve their business and operational performance through the ‘Fit for Defence’ programme

Make UK Defence are helping to build an innovative and internationally-competitive UK defence supply chain.

techUK

techUK (https://www.techuk.org/) represents over 1,100 technology companies supporting tech firms, their customers, regulators and government to capitalise on the benefits that technology can provide, including its role in preparing the UK for the future.

Members are the driving force behind techUK’s work, and include SMEs and multinational companies. Through techUK, members build strong relationships with customers, partners, regulators and government, and gain access to timely insights, events, thought leadership, and policy updates across the technology sector. techUK work with members to define policy positions that will benefit the industry, and to champion tech as a driver of the UK economy.

UKspace

UKspace (https://www.ukspace.org/) is the trade association of the UK space industry, representing and promoting space to government and other key stakeholders nationally and internationally. UKspace members range from start-ups and SMEs through to multinational companies operating in the space and defence domains.

Society of Maritime Industries (SMI)

Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) (https://www.maritimeindustries.org/) is a not-for-profit, member-owned maritime trade association that promotes the interests of UK-based companies in the international market place and to governments.

SMI membership is inclusive of the whole supply chain from shipyards and major system providers to the manufacturers of the smallest components, as well as companies involved in marine science, technology & academia and the growing area of autonomy.

SMI acts as a voice for the maritime sector in the UK, supporting its growth and ensuring its role in global trade and industry development.

Other trade associations
- Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) (http://www.fsb.org.uk/)
- Farnborough Aerospace Consortium (https://www.fac.org.uk/)
- West of England Aerospace Consortium (http://www.weaf.co.uk/)
- North West Aerospace Alliance (http://www.aerospace.co.uk/)
- The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) (https://www.bhta.com/)
- Gauge and Tool Makers Association (https://www.gtma.co.uk/)
- Aerospace Wales Forum (https://www.aerospacewalesforum.com/)
- Heropreneurs (https://www.heropreneurs.co.uk/)
- Invest Northern Ireland (https://www.investni.com/)
- Innovate UK Business Connect (https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/)
- Veteran Owned UK (https://veteran-owned.uk/)
Related information

Procurement at MOD (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/procurement)