A NSW Government website

Defence and Aerospace to the United Kingdom

Eligible businesses can apply for free support to export Defence and Aerospace products and service to the UK. Applications closed 12 March.

Program dates

March 2023 to September 2023

Key event

DSEI UK,External Link 12-15 September 2023 in London

In-person attendance at the event is required

Why this market

The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement will provide NSW businesses with increased cross border opportunities within the defence and aerospace industry. The UK’s defence sector continues to prosper and grow. Since 2016 it has grown by 14%, showing its competitive edge in the international market. The UK defence industry has revenues of 25.3 billion GBP and the European defence industry has revenues of 116 billion Euro (Statista). The UK aerospace industry is world leading. More than 3,000 aerospace companies operate in the UK, and the aerospace sector has the largest number of SME companies in Europe (International Trade Administration). In 2021, the UK aerospace industry turnover was 22.4 billion GBP (ADS Group).

Curriculum

Introductory sessions

  • Welcome session
  • Introduction to the UK defence and aerospace ecosystem and opportunities for NSW businesses
  • Access to 13 self-serve factsheets developed by the Export Council of Australia exclusively for Going Global participants
  • Access to Intellectual Property protection briefings from IP Australia

Preparation to attend DSEI UK

  • Export readiness
  • Market specific business culture 
  • Pitch / sales strategy
  • QUAD chart development

Preparation to meet potential partners 

  • Interviews and 1:1 to learn about the business needs and export readiness
  • Pre-departure interviews and 1:1 discussions to ensure tradeshow readiness

Potential partner search and introductions

  • In-person participation at DSEI UK with in-market assistance and logistical support from Investment NSW
  • Identification of potential business partners/ opportunities
  • Targeted business to business meetings and networking opportunities

Ongoing advice and follow up  

  • Ongoing support provided by a dedicated NSW Government Export Adviser.

*note: the curriculum may be subject to change

Participation requirements and success factors

Eligibility for the overall Program

  • Have headquarters in NSW
  • Have a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) registered for NSW 
  • Be export-capable and export-ready 
  • Have an employee number between 3 and 199 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees 
  • The product or service must be produced primarily in NSW
  • The product or service is achieving sales already
  • Have a website featuring the product or service
  • Be prepared to adapt the product or service for the new market
  • Be flexible regarding market-entry method
  • Have resources to support marketing and development for a new market
  • Be to travel to the selected market (where and when travel is permitted) and/or to Sydney for events, and must cover own travel expenses

Note this program is designed for NSW businesses who produce and own their own brand. This program is not for aggregators, traders, or businesses who sell services to exporters.

Additional eligibility requirements for this stream

  • Commitment to attend DSEI UK 2023

The ideal participant

  • Has a unique value proposition for the UK market
  • Has undertaken some level of market analysis to determine product-market fit in the UK
  • May already have some enquiries/leads in the UK market
  • May have an employee or local representative in the UK
  • May already be exporting to other international markets

Businesses not eligible for this stream

  • Previous NSW Going Global Program participants “to the United Kingdom”

How to apply

Applications closed on 12 March 2023.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome around 27 March 2023.

Note: Apply for your preferred market - you can apply for and participate in only 1 stream.