SubSea Craft (SSC) was pleased to welcome Stephen Morgan (Portsmouth South MP & Minister for Early Education), Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North MP) and Tan Dhesi (Slough MP & Chair of the Defence Committee) at its HQ in Portsmouth. The meeting was held to provide an update on SubSea Craft’s strong progress throughout 2025 in developing technologies to support UK Defence at home and abroad, as well as to discuss the ongoing challenges facing SMEs in the defence industry.
Topics discussed included SSC’s role in AUKUS Pillar 2, including the development of advanced capabilities such as VICTA and MARS. As the UK Government finalises its Defence Sector Plan, SSC looks forward to supporting increased SME collaboration with government.
“We are grateful for the support from the visiting MPs, who recognise the importance of a strong defence SME industrial base, both for the local economy and the wider UK defence industry”, said Andrew Sturman, Deputy Director, Business Development.
“As SSC enters its most exciting phase of growth – with headcounts having grown to over 150 in the last few years alone – we are keen to support SME growth initiatives within the defence sector and continue to deliver positive impacts on both regional innovation and job creation. We look forward to working with Stephen, Amanda and Tan to further drive UK defence innovation and support the objectives of the UK Armed Forces and its allies.”
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“It was brilliant to welcome Chair of the Defence Select Committee Tan Dhesi MP to Portsmouth to discuss how the Strategic Defence Review and Labour’s investment in Portsmouth will make our city and country safe and secure.
“I want to thank SubSea Craft for hosting us and showing us how Portsmouth is leading the way on ground-breaking maritime technology.
“The Government is investing record amounts in defence to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad, and I will keep working to ensure Portsmouth is an engine for growth as part of those plans.”
Portsmouth North MP Amanda Martin added:
“It’s fantastic to see Portsmouth companies like SubSea Craft at the forefront of defence innovation, particularly as Labour delivers on its commitment to the biggest increase in defence spending since the Cold War. This government is rightly focusing on increasing SME involvement in the defence sector, and I welcome new initiatives to support smaller contractors like SubSea.
Portsmouth has always been at the heart of UK defence, and I’m delighted to support local businesses that are not only strengthening our national security but also creating high-skilled jobs for my community.”
