Sectors / 01
Defence & aerospace
Bids, partners and exports all rest on a control position. We test it before anyone relies on it.
Three questions, answered with evidence.
010203What we read.
- AirframeITAR, USML Category VIII: who may build, hold and export it.
- Avionics and sensorsEAR and UK dual-use lists: classification, licence and end use.
- EngineITAR, USML Category XIX: origin of the hot section and its parts.
Standards & regulation.
The frameworks we work to in this sector.
US defence articles, services and technical data.
US dual-use items and end-use controls.
US country and list-based sanctions.
UK Military List and trade controls.
Statutory basis for UK export controls.
Standing UK licensing guidance.
EU dual-use export regime.
Licence-free trade between AUKUS partners.
Safeguarding covered defence information.
Controlled unclassified information.
Defence supplier cyber maturity.
Defence security and network manuals.
Cyber requirements for defence suppliers.
Audited baseline for MoD supply.
Supplier quality assurance.
Supplier code for NATO procurement.
US anti-bribery and books-and-records.
Where we look.
The official procurement and trade sources we draw on.
Federal opportunity data, daily.
Item-level defence supply RFQs.
MOD advertised requirements.
UK above-threshold notices.
Support, logistics and equipment.
ICT and C4ISR procurement.
Armament programmes.
EU public procurement.
Defence innovation competitions.
Defence R&D for small business.
Service innovation challenges.
Defence supply chain directory.
BAE Systems · Babcock · Leonardo · Thales · RTX · Lockheed Martin · Northrop Grumman · General Dynamics
Related thinking.
Recent notes that bear on this sector.
China’s rare earth pause has two more months. Plan as if it ends.
China’s suspension of its October 2025 rare earth controls was due to end on 10 November. The US–China truce behind it now runs to 10 January 2027. The April 2025 licensing on seven medium and heavy rare earths never stopped. Magnet-dependent supply chains should plan for both.
Failure to prevent fraud, one year on. What “reasonable procedures” means for your third parties
Since 1 September 2025, large organisations are liable for fraud committed by employees, agents and subsidiaries for their benefit. The main defence is reasonable procedures, and third parties are where most organisations are thinnest.
The US “affiliates rule” is paused, not gone. Check who owns your customers.
Washington’s pause on the BIS affiliates rule was due to end on 9 November and is expected to follow the US–China truce to 10 January 2027. When it returns, companies 50% or more owned by listed parties face the same restrictions as their owners, whether or not they appear on any list.