Newcastle University and Ministry of Defence strengthen research and innovation partnership
Building on successful work with the Royal Air Force, Newcastle University has signed a new agreement with the Ministry of Defence to advance research, innovation and skills, and create new opportunities for collaboration across the defence and security sectors.
15 September 2026
Building on a successful relationship
Newcastle University and the Ministry of Defence have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding that will create further opportunities for collaborative research, innovation, knowledge exchange and skills development.
Signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) by the Royal Air Force (RAF), represented by RAF Leeming, the agreement builds on a successful relationship developed through initiatives including the award-winning ViTAL Living Lab, which explored how the MOD estate could support decarbonisation.
It establishes a framework for the University and the MOD to exchange scientific and technical knowledge, develop collaborative research initiatives and explore new activities of mutual benefit.
The three-year Memorandum of Understanding will support the dissemination of findings from Project ViTAL and help maximise the wider impact of its research. Potential activities include cooperative research, technical exchanges, training, professional visits, conferences and other projects developed under separate agreements.
Pictured: RAF Leeming Station Commander Group Captain John 'Geordie' Lawson tested his piloting skills on one of the Newcastle University flight simulators.
Supporting the future of aerospace and defence
The agreement comes as Newcastle University expands its contribution to aerospace and defence through research, innovation, education and skills development.
In July, Newcastle University was announced as a founding member of the Defence Universities Alliance, a strategic network of UK universities committed to working with the Ministry of Defence, the UK Armed Forces, the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security and the wider defence sector.
New undergraduate Aerospace Engineering programmes will prepare students to design, develop and test technologies including aircraft, spacecraft and satellite systems. The programmes cover areas including renewable fuels, electrification of flight, space, digitalisation, advanced manufacturing and sustainable engineering, supported by practical experience in wind tunnels, flight simulators, jet-engine facilities and a dedicated drone flight zone.
A £4.3 million investment in engineering education is also creating 372 additional full-time student places over three years in disciplines connected to defence and emerging technologies. The investment includes a purpose-built drone arena, quadruped robotics, flight-dynamics platforms, research wind tunnels and specialist composites facilities.
The University’s wider aerospace and defence activity brings together expertise in complex engineering systems, autonomous technologies, robotics, sensing, artificial intelligence, data science, advanced materials, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure resilience.
A platform for future collaboration
The new Memorandum of Understanding will provide a structured route for Newcastle University and RAF Leeming to identify future opportunities, develop project proposals and review the progress and effectiveness of their relationship.
Professor Stephanie Glendinning, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, said:
‘Our relationship with RAF Leeming demonstrates what can be achieved when research expertise, operational knowledge and a shared commitment to innovation come together.
This Memorandum of Understanding gives us a strong foundation from which to develop new ideas, create opportunities for our researchers and students, and apply our expertise to real-world aerospace, sustainability and resilience challenges.’
Group Captain John Lawson, Station Commander at RAF Leeming, said:
‘Our work through the ViTAL Living Lab has shown the value of bringing the RAF and academia together to address complex challenges. This agreement will allow us to build on that experience, exchange knowledge and explore new areas of cooperation with Newcastle University.’
The agreement strengthens Newcastle University’s portfolio of long-term strategic relationships with major public and private-sector organisations, developed and supported through Newcastle Innovations.
Through Newcastle Innovations, organisations can connect with the University’s research, talent, specialist facilities and innovation networks, building trusted partnerships to address complex challenges and turn ideas into practical impact.