Sovereign composites capability in advanced materials to benefit defence
The UK has established manufacturing capability for ultra-high-temperature ceramic matrix composites.
Cross Manufacturing Ltd has built the UK’s first, pilot-scale, end-to-end manufacturing process for ceramic matrix composites (CMCs).
CMCs are particularly useful as unlike conventional metals, they hold their strength and shape under extreme heat and stress. These properties make them vital for:
- Space – protecting spacecraft and satellite components during launch and atmospheric re‑entry
- Hypersonics – enabling vehicles to travel at more than five times the speed of sound while enduring intense aerodynamic heating
- Advanced propulsion – where components must survive prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures
The UK has historically relied heavily on overseas suppliers for these specialist materials, but this work brings a critical technology onshore, strengthening supply chain resilience and ensuring the UK can independently design and manufacture strategic materials.
Funded by the MOD’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Cross Manufacturing Ltd worked in partnership with Dstl, the University of Oxford, the National Composites Centre and UK Atomic Energy Authority, as well as defence industry firms QinetiQ and MBDA.
Dr Talha J. Pirzada, Research & Technology Manager at Cross Manufacturing Ltd, notes, ‘Through this programme we have successfully transformed UK expertise from research into pilot‑scale manufacturing. The consortium now holds the capability to produce demonstrator components from oxide‑based ceramic matrix composites, a first for the UK.’
