Europe’s largest defence technology company, Helsing, has officially opened its first UK Resilience Factory in Plymouth to build autonomous gliders to help allied navies hunt down enemy submarines.
The facility at Langage Business Park was opened by the Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, alongside Helsing leadership and staff, civic representatives, academic leaders, MPs and industry partners.
Helsing moved into the 18,000 square feet factory several weeks ago and has already begun production of its maritime products and testing of them at sea from Turnchapel Wharf, as well as the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre (BUTEC) in Scotland.
To develop Helsing’s maritime offering, a new high-tech R&D Hub is being created, including advanced manufacturing machines and software tools.
The Plymouth site will be Helsing’s Maritime Centre of Excellence.
The factory will immediately create high skilled and manufacturing jobs in the South West, scaling to hundreds to meet future demand. It will initially focus on maritime capabilities, building Helsing’s SG-1 Fathom – an autonomous underwater glider designed and manufactured in Britain to strengthen European and allied defence.
Commitment To Sovereign Manufacturing
The factory supports Helsing’s commitment to sovereign manufacturing in the UK, and follows successful trials of the SG-1 at sea in the Western Approaches, Scotland and Western Australia in recent months.
The plan to build a factory was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July as part of the company’s £350 million commitment to the UK under the 2024 Trinity House agreement.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP, said:
“For too long our proud industrial heartlands like Plymouth saw jobs go away and not come back. We are changing that. In this new era of threat, the defence dividend from our record investment is measured in good jobs, thriving businesses, new skills for the British people.
“That is exactly what we’re seeing in Plymouth with Helsing’s cutting edge new factory showing the benefits of our defence growth deals which are backed by £250 million investment, and the city’s leading maritime autonomous industry.
“We are making defence an engine for growth to deliver national and economic security.”
Ned Baker, managing director of Helsing UK, said:
“From Plymouth we’ll be manufacturing the autonomous systems that keep our sailors, ships and infrastructure safe. The SG-1 Fathom shows how world-class engineering and AI can combine to deliver capability at scale – enhancing national resilience, building skills, and supporting our allies.”
Team Plymouth & Helsing
The opening also strengthens Helsing’s collaboration with the UK government, the local community, Plymouth University and Plymouth City Council as part of ‘Team Plymouth‘, a partnership driving growth and innovation in one of the UK’s designated Defence Growth Zones. Helsing’s investment will generate local jobs, expand domestic supply chains and reinforce the UK’s maritime autonomy cluster.
Amelia Gould, general manager of Maritime Helsing, added:
“There’s no better place than Plymouth to lead in maritime autonomy. With deep water, strong local supply chains and exceptional talent, we’re proud to call this city home.”
