Defence tech company opens manufacturing and development facility in Bristol

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Nicky Godding

Defence, Technology and Aerospace company Elbit Systems UK has opened its new advanced manufacturing and development facility in Bristol.

The Horizon facility will act as a research, development and manufacturing hub for the high technology solutions already being provided to the British Armed Forces and other NATO customers by Elbit Systems UK.

At an opening ceremony attended by employees, government and industry representatives including Jack Lopresti MP and Tzipi Hotovely, Israeli Ambassador to the UK, a number of capabilities of Elbit Systems UK were demonstrated including EW Solutions for multiple domains (Air, Land and Naval applications) including the MEWSIC1 Programme of the Royal Navy, Interim Combined Armed Virtual Simulator (Deployable and Full Land Integrated Systems Demonstration

The opening of the Horizon facility is the culmination of more than £35 million of investment in three years, developing and expanding Elbit Systems UK’s manufacturing and technical footprint across the country making it a hub for future R&D and deliveries to other NATO customers.

The Horizon facility will build on Elbit Systems UK’s existing capabilities and will eventually employ over 200 people on the site, adding to the existing over 680 staff working in ESUK and its subsidiaries across 16 sites throughout the UK.

Martin Fausset, CEO of Elbit Systems UK said: “The opening of this facility is a testament to the success of Elbit Systems UK over the last 3 years and demonstrates the successful implementation of our strategy set out 3 years ago. Our commitment to providing cutting-edge, sovereign capability to the UK Armed Forces has allowed us to grow our presence, investing in our people and our facilities to support our frontline customers.”

Elbit Systems is an Israeli international defence electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. Elbit Systems UK Ltd holds three wholly owned subsidiaries as well as two joint ventures. In total, more than 680 personnel are employed by the Elbit Systems UK companies in the UK, in high tech roles in the defence, aerospace and rail sectors. The two joint ventures were formed to deliver the Watchkeeper programme for the British Army and to supply and support three fleets of aircraft within the UK MOD Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) programme. Elbit Systems UK is an established supplier to the UK Armed Forces, participating in several major Defence programmes such as MEWSIC Increment 1 and the Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.