UK MOD © Crown copyright 2024
As part of a new partnership, the MOD will learn from McLaren Racing’s cutting-edge Accelerator team, who use knowledge and expertise from years of elite-level motorsport to produce advanced technology and manufacturing.
McLaren and the MOD will work closely together to find new solutions for a variety of defence projects, which could include electrification of new military vehicles and future power options for the armed forces, which will increase operational effectiveness.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This exciting partnership will see McLaren Racing bring their world-class expertise from the racetrack into a number of defence projects. By collaborating with industry we will continue to drive innovation through knowledge sharing, which will benefit Defence’s engineering and operations across the course of the partnership and beyond.”
One of the projects that may benefit from the partnership is the electrification of armoured vehicles (Project LURCHER), which aims to meet the Army’s intention to transition to electric vehicle technology. To mark the start of the partnership, the NEOM McLaren Extreme E race car was shown alongside a Project LURCHER vehicle at the BattleLab – a Defence Innovation co-creation space based in Dorset.
Electrification could make military vehicles more operationally effective, including by using novel power sources to cut down the need to resupply, therefore reducing the vulnerability of forces in the field. Tech innovation can also help with increased range for vehicles.
Matt Dennington, Co-Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Racing, said: “This new partnership with the Ministry of Defence provides a great opportunity to stretch and apply our innovation and technological know-how and a high-performance culture with a view to improving operational efficiencies across a wide range of exciting projects.
“Under the multi-year partnership, the Ministry of Defence will collaborate through McLaren Accelerator to apply motorsport innovation and insights to projects that are jointly selected by Defence and McLaren teams.”