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SINGAPORE – The Royal Navy’s flagship, aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09), arrived at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS) on 23 June 2025 for its first port call during the Indo-Pacific phase of Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG25).
As part of the CSG’s supporting role as a floating trade mission, a Defence and Security Industry Day (DSID) was held on the afternoon of 24 June 2025 on the aft portion of the carrier’s spacious hangar deck, with support from the British High Commission in Singapore and UK Defence and Security Exports.
While such expo-style events aboard Royal Navy ships are not new, this Singapore edition marked the largest ever held — with over 30 UK businesses in attendance — showcasing the excellence, innovation, and diversity of the UK’s defence industrial base. The offerings ranged from technology and research to design, manufacturing, and through-life support.
The DSID featured a high-level delegation led by Lord Vernon Coaker, Minister of State for Defence (Minister for the House of Lords); Peter Kyle, UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology; and Martin Kent, HM Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific.
In his opening speech, Mr. Kent highlighted the UK’s emphasis on defence investment, particularly in research and development (R&D). He also underscored the importance of the UK Industrial Strategy in strengthening partnerships in the region, noting the launch of the UK Trade Strategy on 26 June, which “will make it quicker, easier and more profitable to do business with the United Kingdom.”
The UK Industrial Strategy, a 10-year plan published on 23 June, identifies eight growth-driving sectors — the ‘IS-8’ — which together represent 32% of the economy and areas where the UK has a competitive edge in global markets.
A key initiative within the defence sector component of the IS-8 is to develop the industrial base needed to safeguard UK’s national security, while unlocking significant untapped potential for economic growth through innovation, exports, and scale-ups. The frontier industries identified include drones and autonomous systems, combat air, directed energy weapons, complex weapons, and maritime capabilities.
The UK Trade Strategy, a follow-on to the Industrial Strategy, is the nation’s first since leaving the EU. It outlines confidence in the UK’s continued role as a “service superpower” and aims to advance high-potential sectors with a smarter, more varied set of trade tools. It also expands export finance — particularly for smaller firms — and aligns trade policy with national priorities.
Measures such as the proposed ‘Ricardo Fund’ aim to reduce barriers to trade between the UK and partner nations. In addition, UK Export Finance (UKEF) will be expanded from £60bn to £80bn, offering more credit financing options, particularly for SMEs and regional clusters aligned with the Industrial Strategy’s priority sectors.
With these two underlying strategies, Mr. Kent stated: “Our message is clear — the UK is committed to deepening our relationship with Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific region for mutual prosperity and security.”
In his welcome remarks, Lord Coaker described HMS Prince of Wales — one of the most advanced and capable ships in the Royal Navy — as an ideal setting to showcase world-leading technology and innovation from UK and Singapore defence companies.
He stressed that: “In this era of increasing threats and collective security, we [the UK] must remain committed to the principle of partnership and communication, upholding international law and freedom of navigation.”
Referencing the recently published UK Strategic Defence Review (SDR) on 2 June, Lord Coaker noted that Singapore is named as a key UK partner, underscoring the UK’s commitment to developing defence cooperation and interoperability under the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).
“The reviews make clear, that our policy of ‘NATO first’ does not mean ‘NATO only’,” he added, stating that the CSG deployment to the Indo-Pacific aligns with the review’s regional objectives.
“As the importance to the region grows, so does the responsibility to work with our partners, so as our freedom and security upon our shared prosperity rests. The carrier’s deployment demonstrates our commitment to regional stability and security, and to upholding international order.”
Lord Coaker also reflected on the historic UK-Singapore relationship: “Our relationship dates back to Singapore’s founding, and we remain incredibly close partners. Having the carrier here, in Singapore, against the backdrop of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, during Singapore’s 60th year as a sovereign nation, is testament to the bond between our two nations.”
“Over the years, UK companies in Singapore have become well-established and maintain a strong record of successful partnerships, underpinned by willingness and enthusiasm to share ideas, transfer knowledge and champion excellence. This partnership goes both ways.”
Throughout the afternoon, the DSID featured live demonstrations, including a jet suit flight by Gravity Industries and a roving display of the X Series UGV by Digital Concepts Engineering. Static product displays further enhanced meaningful engagement between trade attendees and exhibiting companies.
The event concluded with the announcement of a strategic collaboration between Horstman and ST Engineering. The two companies have enjoyed a trusted partnership since the mid-1990s, with ongoing innovation in land defence. Most recently, Horstman has supplied the InArm hydro-pneumatic suspension system for ST Engineering’s Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV).
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