UK-developed turbojet engines that can power drones and larger aircraft have moved from the initial concept to production and flight testing within seven months.
On September 15, 2026, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced it had partnered with UK startup Alloyed to develop a family of digitally manufactured turbojet engines that are designed, built and tested in Britain.
Providing an update on the collaboration, the MOD said that a new 300N-class engine had completed flight testing and moved into serial production while a larger 1100N-class engine had progressed from initial concept to flight-ready status in less than seven months.
The aim of the initiative was to establishes a sovereign propulsion capability for future defense systems, strengthening the UK’s ability to “design, manufacture, test and sustain critical defense capabilities independently and at scale”.
Engines span 30N to 2000N thrust range
“Taking a jet engine from concept to flight-ready in just a matter of months shows how defence and industry can work together to deliver capabilities at the speed required by today’s world,” Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard, said. “The threats we face demand the ability to produce cutting-edge technology on demand and at scale – this program delivers that, combining sovereign manufacturing, digital engineering and industrial innovation.”
The program is developing a family of turbojet engines spanning the 30N to 2000N thrust range, in order to power a range of platforms.
The engines are designed and built using digital engineering and represent a new domestic capability for the UK.
The MOD said that the digital design and modelling approach enables new propulsion systems and engine variants to be designed and progressed into production in months rather than years.
Led by the MOD’s Strategic Capabilities Office, the program combines government investment with matched funding from Alloyed.
“Working alongside the Ministry of Defence has enabled Alloyed to bring to bear its world-leading metals technologies to mature and demonstrate advanced propulsion systems at remarkable pace while building a lasting capability in the UK,” said Michael Holmes, CEO of Alloyed.
More than 60 engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs have already been created in Britain through the initiative, with a further 45 roles anticipated over the next 12 months as production expands.