First UK factory developing AI and drones for the navy opens in Plymouth
The £350million facility will create high skilled and manufacturing jobs
Last updated 19th Nov 2025
The first UK factory to build autonomous gliders to help the navy hunt down enemy submarines has opened in Plymouth.
The £350million facility, by Europe’s largest defence technology company Helsing, was opened by the Secretary of State for Defence, on Wednesday (19 November).
Helsing has already begun production of its maritime products and testing of them at sea from the nearby Turnchapel Wharf, as well as the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre (BUTEC) in Scotland.
The factory will create high-skilled and manufacturing jobs in the South West, scaling to hundreds to meet future demand.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “For too long our proud industrial heartlands like Plymouth saw jobs go away and not come back. We are changing that. In this new era of threat, the defence dividend from our record investment is measured in good jobs, thriving businesses, new skills for the British people.
“That is exactly what we're seeing in Plymouth with Helsing's cutting edge new factory showing the benefits of our defence growth deals which are backed by £250 million investment, and the city’s leading maritime autonomous industry.
“We are making defence an engine for growth to deliver national and economic security.”
Ned Baker, Managing Director of Helsing UK, said: “From Plymouth we’ll be manufacturing the autonomous systems that keep our sailors, ships and infrastructure safe. The SG-1 Fathom shows how world-class engineering and AI can combine to deliver capability at scale - enhancing national resilience, building skills, and supporting our allies.”
Rebecca Smith MP, the Member of Parliament for South West Devon in whose constituency the factory is located, said:
"Plymouth and South West Devon has been home to significant marine autonomy investment for a number of years. Today’s factory opening by Helsing marks the next exciting chapter in this journey and cements the important role of all those smaller local communities in the innovation and delivery of the UK’s sovereign defence capability. I visited the site last week and was incredibly impressed by the facility and team.”