Midlands Mayors Claire Ward and Richard Parker have appointed 16 senior defence industry leaders to support the sector’s growth in the region as government prepares to boost national security spending.
Some of the region’s biggest employers and several small and medium-sized enterprises are represented on the new Midlands Defence and Security Industry Council.
The members are tasked with attracting new investment to create high-quality, well-paid jobs for local people by collectively championing and advocating for the Midlands defence and security industries, amplifying their strengths, capabilities, and potential.
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “The East Midlands has substantial strengths in defence and the sectors that support it, but we know that even greater strength and opportunity is generated by the wider Midlands working together. Our supply chains do not stop at administrative boundaries, so we have built a partnership that understands and responds to that.
“This will allow for stronger, inclusive growth. Businesses expect us to ensure that the benefits of increased defence investment accrue to our major global businesses and SMEs alike, and this Council will ensure that we work together to deliver that. It is this shared work that will translate into well-paid jobs for local people whilst opening up new opportunities for graduates and apprentices.”
The Mayors will host the council members for their first meeting later this month, alongside the industry chair, Chris Spicer.
Chris, who has more than 15 years of experience in the global defence industry, is managing director of engineering and systems integration at Babcock International, which employs more than 300 people in Walsall.
Chris said: “I am delighted to accept the role of inaugural chair of the Midlands Defence and Security Industry Council. Babcock has a long-standing relationship with the Midlands, where we have been an employer for more than 100 years in vehicle conversions. I am immensely proud of our highly skilled workforce in Walsall, who continue to deliver and develop vehicles such as our Civilian Armoured Vehicle and General Logistics Vehicle variants – capabilities that are vital to the UK’s national security.
“This collaborative venture, underpinned by the recently launched Defence and Security Blueprint for the Midlands, is excellent news for the region. It not only supports the Government’s wider Defence Industrial Strategy, but also reinforces Babcock’s ongoing commitment to creating employment opportunities and driving growth across the area.”
Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker said: “We’ve got 25,000 people working in defence and related sectors across the West Midlands alone, making us one of the UK’s biggest hubs. But I believe we’re only scratching the surface when it comes to maximising these economic opportunities at the same time as keeping our country and way of life safe.
“That’s why we’ve given Chris and the rest of this council the clear objective to champion our industrial and innovative strengths to make sure we’re the big winner from increased government spending.
“More jobs, higher wages, and stronger businesses is the promise I made in my Growth Plan. This is how we’re creating those real opportunities for local people and futureproofing our economy against times of uncertainty.”
The Midlands Defence and Security Industry Council has been set up as part of the Midlands Defence and Security Blueprint – a practical plan to secure the Midlands’ place at the heart of the UK’s defence effort.
Defence is already an important component of the Midlands economy with about 1,000 companies in defence or related sectors, employing 50,000 people.
That is why both Mayors have placed the sector at the centre of their growth plans and the Compact agreement they signed between the West and East Midlands combined authorities.
The blueprint sets out the need to upskill workers and establish new career pathways for graduates and apprentices, alongside targeted support to help more SMEs win government contracts or break into defence-related supply chains.
Also backed by this plan will be the innovative businesses who are already developing operational and strategic technologies for modern battlefields.
The council will work in parallel with the three Regional Defence and Security Clusters (RDSCs) across the region, including a West Midlands RDSC to be launched later this year and already established RDSCs in the East Midlands and Lincolnshire.
Midlands Defence and Security Industry Council members:
Click here to read the Defence and Security Blueprint for the Midlands.
Published on: 17 March 2026
Categories: News, Economic Development