Organisers of leading UK event for defence SMEs and supply chain firms, Make UK Defence Summit (18-19 November 2026), have opted to host the gathering at the British Motor Museum.
Make UK Defence is a national not-for-profit defence trade association. It represents around 900 defence manufacturers across the UK. The association’s summit is set to welcome around 550 delegates across a two-day period, as well as a crop of exhibitors – from manufacturers and supply chain partners to policy makers and financial firms. There will be panel sessions and a dedicated exhibition zone.
The event will also include a ‘Meet the Buyer’ programme. Last year, it led to more than 800 meetings between buyers and suppliers, alongside keynote sessions from figures including defence minister Luke Pollard MP, Amazon Web Services and QinetiQ. A charity dinner will return, following £10,000 raised for the RAF Benevolent Fund in 2025.
Rapid growth since launch
The summit has grown quickly since launch. Organisers say it has nearly tripled in size over the past four years, reflecting increased demand for in-person forums across the UK defence sector.
The British Motor Museum, located in Warwickshire near junction 12 of the M40, offers space for up to 600 delegates. Its conference and exhibition suite includes a dedicated entrance, reception area and multiple breakout rooms suited to multi-stream content and supplier showcases.
Toby Batchelor, head of commerce at the British Motor Museum, said: “Winning the Make UK Defence Summit is a real vote of confidence in what we offer as a conference venue. Organisers in specialist sectors want a setting that feels professional, secure and logistically straightforward, while still giving delegates something memorable.”
Andrew Kinniburgh, director-general of Make UK Defence, said: “As we rapidly grow, we’ve been delighted to select the British Motor Museum for our next Annual Summit because it represents how our sector is transforming the UK manufacturing landscape.”