Babcock International Group is combining naval expertise, global partnerships and advanced technology to shape the future of defense
Babcock International Group has spent more than a century building a reputation as one of the world’s leading defense engineering companies. From designing and supporting complex warships and submarines to maintaining critical nuclear infrastructure and delivering advanced aviation and land capabilities, the FTSE 100 company provides the engineering expertise, technology and through-life support that underpin national security. Guided by its purpose to ‘create a safe and secure world, together’, Babcock is combining deep technical knowledge with an expanding international presence as it positions itself for the next phase of growth.
“Babcock is a global defense company employing around 30,000 people and generating annual revenues of £5.2 billion,” begins IIgi Kim, Marine Chief Commercial Officer. “We operate across four core sectors: marine, nuclear, land, and aviation, with both marine and nuclear each accounting for around a third of our business. While just over half of our revenue comes from the UK, we’re increasingly focused on expanding our international footprint, with established operations in countries including Canada, France, Australia and South Africa. That’s a key part of our growth strategy. In maritime alone, we’re currently working with 17 countries, and as we look to 2030, we’re aiming to grow the business to more than £7 billion through continued international expansion and major programs around the world.”
Headquartered in London, Babcock has operations spanning the UK, Australasia, Canada, France and South Africa, while also supporting customers in markets including Japan, Oman, Poland and the US. Its extensive network of dockyards, engineering facilities, training centers and specialist support sites enables the company to deliver complex defense, aviation and nuclear programs wherever they are needed.
“Rosyth is our shipbuilding center of excellence,” IIgi elaborates, “while our Devonport site is focused on through-life support and engineering services for the Royal Navy’s surface and submarine fleets. Today, more than 60 percent of our maritime revenue comes from supporting the Royal Navy, including designing and building five Type 31 frigates and maintaining a significant proportion of its existing fleet.
“While major UK defense procurement decisions were paused ahead of the government’s latest defense investment plans (now published), we used that time to sharpen our international focus. At the same time, we’re supporting the Royal Navy’s future vision through programs focused on areas such as autonomous vessels and hybrid naval technologies.
“International growth isn’t about a single breakthrough; it’s about getting the fundamentals right. Over the past two years, we’ve built dedicated international teams with deep market knowledge and technical expertise, bringing together our engineering and commercial capabilities to support customers around the world.”
One of Babcock’s most significant recent international wins is the Maritime Partnership Programme with Indonesia; a £4 billion initiative that combines civil maritime development with naval capability. Rather than focusing solely on defense, the program aims to strengthen Indonesia’s maritime economy, improve food security and build long-term industrial capability through local shipbuilding, skills development and technology transfer.
“What makes this program so different is that it’s about much more than building ships,” IIgi shares. “On the civil side, we’ll deliver around 1600 modern fishing vessels to help replace an ageing fleet, increase food security and protect Indonesia’s maritime resources. Alongside that sits the naval element, providing the capability needed to safeguard those assets.
“A key part of the program is developing capability within Indonesia itself. Around a third of the work will take place in Indonesia, another third in the UK and the remainder with international partners. That allows us to invest in local shipyards, develop supply chains, work with universities and schools, and help build the skilled workforce needed to support a sustainable maritime industry.
“When people think about defense, they often think about ships or engineering. For us, it’s much broader than that. Projects like this create economic opportunity, strengthen security, develop skills and support long-term national resilience. Ultimately, we’re not just delivering products; we’re helping countries build the capabilities they need for the future.”
Another key driver of Babcock’s international growth is the Arrowhead 140 frigate. Selected as the basis for the Royal Navy’s Type 31 program, the adaptable platform has attracted interest from navies around the world, with its flexible design and licensing model enabling customers to tailor vessels to their own operational and industrial requirements.
“We’re seeing increasing demand for that approach. Countries such as Poland and Indonesia have chosen to build the platform domestically, while others are looking at different models depending on their needs. In some cases, we’ll build the first ships in the UK while training local engineers and transferring the knowledge required for future vessels to be constructed in-country. Elsewhere, customers may prefer complete ships built in Scotland to align closely with the Royal Navy and benefit from shared training, logistics and long-term support.
“Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Every customer has different operational, industrial and strategic priorities, so our role is to provide a model that delivers the capability they need while supporting their long-term ambitions.”
As international demand grows, so too does the need for a skilled workforce. IIgi believes investing in the next generation of engineers is essential if the UK is to maintain its competitive advantage in naval shipbuilding.
“Shipbuilding capacity isn’t just about having enough dock space; it’s about having the people with the right skills. That’s why we’re investing heavily in apprenticeships, STEM outreach and university partnerships to help develop the workforce we’ll need in the years ahead.”
At the heart of Babcock’s UK shipbuilding activity is the Royal Navy’s Type 31 program. Being delivered at Rosyth, the program is not only providing a new class of general-purpose frigates but also helping to sustain sovereign shipbuilding capability in the UK.
“The Type 31 is a five-ship program, and we’ve now cut steel on the fourth vessel, with work on the fifth due to begin shortly,” IIgi shares. “Ships one and two have already left the construction hall, and the program continues to move forward.
“The program has played an important role in maintaining UK shipbuilding capability. Following the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier program, retaining the skills and expertise we’d developed was a major priority. Alongside other national shipbuilding programs, Type 31 has helped ensure those capabilities continue to grow.
“The platform itself is designed as a flexible, general-purpose frigate capable of carrying out a wide range of missions. That adaptability is one of the reasons it has generated such strong international interest and provides the foundation for the Arrowhead 140 export program.”
Alongside delivering complex naval programs, Babcock is continuing to invest in Rosyth’s long-term manufacturing capability through automation, robotics and advanced engineering technologies.
“We’re building what we call a digital dockyard. That means investing heavily in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics and automation to improve precision, productivity and quality,” he elaborates. “Today, Rosyth is home to some of the UK’s most advanced marine manufacturing capabilities, including Missile Tube Assemblies and high-precision engineering work for programs such as the US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines as well as the UK Government’s Submarine Dismantling Project.
“Technology isn’t about replacing people; it’s about giving our workforce the tools to remain globally competitive. By combining advanced robotics with highly skilled engineers, we’re creating a manufacturing environment that delivers exceptional quality while helping secure the future of UK shipbuilding.”
While Babcock has long been recognized for its engineering support and through-life services, the business is increasingly placing product development and ship design at the center of its long-term growth strategy. For IIgi, that evolution is shaping not only the company’s commercial direction but also the opportunities available to its people.
“It’s a transition we’re still making,” he continues. “Today, the direction from our leadership is very clear: we’re an aerospace and defense company, and our future growth will increasingly come from engineered products alongside the services we already deliver.
“That doesn’t mean services become any less important; they remain fundamental to our business. What changes is where we’re investing for growth. We’re expanding our product portfolio across maritime, land and autonomous systems, and that’s a key driver behind our ambition to grow.
“From a cultural perspective, it’s been a positive shift. Our people are excited by the opportunity to design, develop and manufacture more advanced defense capabilities, and they can see the long-term vision. Projects like Indonesia are a good example. While we’re starting with fishing vessels, the program creates a pathway into patrol vessels, frigates, autonomous platforms and wider maritime capability. There’s a real sense of momentum, and if anything, the challenge is simply that people are eager to move even faster.”
Autonomous technology is becoming an increasingly important part of the future of naval capability, with Babcock exploring how crewed and uncrewed platforms can work together as part of a wider defense ecosystem. Through its Autonomous and Remote, Maritime Operational Response (ARMOR) force proposition, the company is looking at how information gathered across multiple domains, from the seabed to space, can create more united and responsive security networks.
“The concept behind ARMOR is about creating a connected, modular ecosystem that brings together capabilities across every domain, supporting the principles of the UK MOD’s Digital Targeting Web by enabling data to flow seamlessly between sensors, platforms and decision-makers,” IIgi explains. “That could include sensors on the seabed, uncrewed underwater vessels, surface autonomous platforms, crewed vessels, aerial systems and space-based assets.
“The modularity of the offer is important because it gives customers the flexibility to tailor and scale the capability around their own operational needs, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. It also means platforms such as the Arrowhead 140 can be ready for the Hybrid Navy model, integrating capabilities like ARMOR and acting as a Common Combat Vessel within a wider mix of crewed and uncrewed systems.
“The aim is to create a wider network that enables greater situational awareness and supports more effective decision-making. Rather than looking at individual platforms in isolation, it’s about how these technologies can work together to create a more integrated approach to defense and security.
“Autonomy is going to be a significant part of the future of maritime capability, and our focus is on combining advanced technology with our existing platforms and engineering expertise to support that future.”
As autonomous technology continues to reshape naval operations, collaboration is becoming increasingly important. Babcock is working with partners across the UK, US, Australia and Asia to explore how emerging technologies can be integrated into future maritime capabilities. One of its key relationships is with HII, a partnership built on existing submarine manufacturing expertise and shared ambitions around autonomous systems.
“HII is a very strong partner for us, and our relationship is built on a long history of working together, particularly through supporting the Virginia-class submarine program,” IIgi elaborates. “We also have a joint venture with HII in Australia, which gives us another strong foundation for collaboration.
“As the concept of a Hybrid Navy develops, we’re looking closely at how autonomous platforms can complement traditional capabilities. HII has already made significant progress in this area, including its work on uncrewed surface vessels, and we’re exploring opportunities to collaborate further, including potential applications for the Royal Navy.
“The reality is that the autonomous market is still developing. Everyone understands the direction of travel, but the exact requirements and solutions are continuing to evolve. That’s why partnerships are so important; bringing together different expertise and perspectives to help shape the future of maritime capability.
“While the US is a leading market for autonomous technology, we also believe it’s important to build a broad network of international partnerships and collaborative ecosystems, from major industry players to smaller specialist partners, that bring together the right mix of capabilities for each customer. We’re working with organizations in countries including South Korea and Poland as well, because the future of defense will depend on collaboration across multiple regions and industries.”
Looking ahead, Babcock’s ambitions extend beyond individual programs. “Success for us would mean becoming a truly global maritime partner, with more navies around the world operating Babcock-designed and supported capabilities.
“That ambition is already in action in countries such as Denmark, New Zealand and Chile, where our focus is not only on presenting a platform or product, but on building long-term naval partnerships rooted in trust, shared expertise and an understanding of each customer’s strategic priorities.
“Whether through our Arrowhead 140 frigate, through-life support, industrial collaboration or wider maritime capability, we are already working with navies and local partners to strengthen sovereign capability, support operational requirements and create relationships that extend well beyond a single procurement decision.
“We want Rosyth to once again be at the heart of UK industrial capability; not only delivering for the Royal Navy but becoming a center of excellence for areas such as autonomy, advanced manufacturing and precision engineering.
“More broadly, the future of Babcock is about becoming much more of a products-led engineering company. Services will always remain a core part of what we do, but we’re increasingly focused on developing advanced capabilities across maritime, land, aviation and emerging technologies.
“The opportunity in defense is significant, but so is the competition. Around the world, other nations are moving quickly to grow their defense industries and secure export opportunities. If we want to maintain the UK’s position, we need to work together across government and industry, move faster and recognize that defense exports are not just about platforms; they’re about long-term economic benefits, skills and jobs,” IIgi concludes.
“The demand is there, and after 25 years working across different industries, I’ve never seen an environment like this. It’s a challenging time, but it’s also an incredibly exciting one.”
