A cross-party group of British lawmakers is urging the government to support the establishment of a joint UK-Ukraine defense technology center, according to a report by the UK Defence Journal.

The proposed center would serve two key purposes: speeding up the supply of weapons to Ukraine and boosting job creation by expanding the UK’s defense manufacturing base.

Under the proposal, part of the UK’s annual £3 billion defense aid package to Ukraine would be redirected to fund production of defense equipment within the UK.

The weapons produced would be supplied directly to Ukraine, with a small portion retained for use by the UK Armed Forces.

“This would mean faster, higher-quality support to Ukraine, British jobs, and a stronger UK industrial base, better equipped to meet the challenges of the future,” said MP Fred Thomas, who represents Plymouth Moor View.

The plan envisions a public-private partnership model, bringing in private investment to establish rapid production lines and scale up manufacturing capacity.

Ukrainian participation in the project would help ensure British manufacturing responds to real-time battlefield demands and incorporates emerging defense technologies.

MPs involved in the initiative say they have already received the expressions of interest from several organizations conducting their own feasibility studies. A roundtable is being planned to coordinate these efforts.

The project remains in its early stages, but supporters hope to present a formal proposal to the government later this year.

Expanding UK-Ukraine Defense Cooperation

In a related development, the UK Ministry of Defence recently signed a contract with the defense firm Babcock to develop a system enabling Ukrainian forces to 3D-print spare parts directly in the field.

The company will create digital blueprints and CAD files that can be used to manufacture replacement parts on demand.

The technology relies on reverse engineering—digitally recreating components by analyzing their form and function—which would allow damaged or outdated parts to be reproduced locally.

Earlier in March, Ukraine and the UK announced the launch of a joint project under which Ukraine will receive 5,000 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) and the necessary technologies to produce them.

In addition to weapons deliveries, the agreement also includes provisions for localizing production and transferring technical know-how.