The WSRF vision is to:

Deliver in a timely manner battle-winning technology solutions for Weapons that are beneficial to MOD and Industry

The WSRF mission is:

The WSRF will provide a vehicle for complex, general and directed energy weapons R&T planning and delivery, satisfying the needs of both MOD and UK industry by providing a cohesive R&T plan that connects MOD and Industry funding to inform the decision making process. The construct will support sustainment of weapons critical skills, expertise and advice, and ensure a seamless exploitation of innovative ideas through to the fielded systems of the future so ‘bridging the valley of death’.

Weapons Sector Research Framework (WSRF)

The WSRF has been established through Dstl to build upon the research conducted through the Weapons Science and Technology Centre (WSTC). The WSRF will now also explore novel weapons and effects, such as lasers and radio frequencies, alongside the more established architectures, seekers, guidance and propulsion science. The WSRF brings organisations of all sizes together to combine expertise, with around 15 per cent of work currently going to small to medium-sized enterprises and academia.

The WSRF core programme includes planning and delivery of research relating to:

  • All weapon constituent components and sub-systems, both complex weapons and general munitions, where complex weapons are defined as strategic and tactical weapons that make use of guidance systems to achieve precision effects;
  • Associated system elements (e.g. launcher, local sensors communications, targeting, fire control, mission Command and Control (C2) and platform integration);
  • Novel weapons and effects, such as lasers and radio frequencies, alongside the more established architectures, seekers, guidance and propulsion science;
  • Weapon system architectures;
  • Weapon platform integration;
  • Activities to support the overall objectives of future weapon procurement initiatives, such as driving down the cost of weapons and reducing time to service for equipment;
  • Weapons domain modelling and simulation;
  • Applications of cross-cutting technologies specific to weapons;
  • Energetic materials

WSRF Partners

The WSRF is not a consortium but contains a group of companies, known as the WSRF partners, linked by signature to Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

The Weapons Sector Research Framework (WSRF) currently has over 100 partners from across Academia, Small-Medium Enterprises and the Weapons Industry as a whole. This partnership model brings large global defence companies together with multiple supply chain tiers; providing unique and strong collaborative teams to develop UK S&T capability.

Being a WSRF partner gives organisations the visibility of future S&T tasks. As a partner, you’ll be in a position to bid for tasks as a task lead, or to work in collaboration with other partners from across industry.

The WSRF has a growing Partnership base, bringing together Academia, SMEs and Primes towards a collaborative approach to Defence S&T. If an organisation wishes to participate in the detailed planning process and gain visibility of SORs then they must become a partner (i.e. a signatory to the NDA).

There are four steps to becoming a partner:

  1. The organisation must provide a written request to become a partner containing supporting evidence. This all starts with an email to the “Contact Us” address.
  2. You will then receive an invitation email with a request to provide supporting information to accompany your organisation’s application to join;
  3. A two-phase consultation period will commence. The first will be an assessment of the supporting information within the WSRF Planning Teams. For the second, the WSRF Supply Chain Manager will distribute the names of the applicant organisation to the existing partners for comment.
  4. Upon successful completion of the consultation period, the Supply Chain Manager will work with your organisation on the formal on-boarding process (NDA signatory, Enabling Agreements etc).

As an NDA signatory, you’ll be able to:

  1. Gain visibility of upcoming S&T tasks;
  2. Receive the WSRF Newsletter;
  3. Be invited to the free annual WSRF Conference;
  4. Bid to support in the delivery of an S&T task;
  5. Bid to lead in the delivery of an S&T task (Enabling Agreement also required).

WSRF Generation After Next Propulsion: Innovation Call

WSRF Innovation Call

This is an 'Open Call' for highly innovative research ideas that fall within the scope of Generation after Next Propulsion Technologies for Enhanced Range Weapons

 as defined in the attached WSRF Innovation Calling notice and template.

Should you wish to respond to this innovation call please provide WSRF with your proposal no later than close of business on the 6th January 2023. Please use the below form for submissions.

Submission form

Submissions received after the closing dates specified above may not be considered.

The following additional guidance should be taken into consideration when deciding to respond to this innovation call:

  • All work completed and deliverables provided under any task placed as a result of this innovation call shall be subject to the provisions of: DEFCON 705 – FULL RIGHTS.
  • Suppliers should be aware the requirements of DEFCON 658 – Cyber shall be applicable throughout the supply chain. Suppliers will be required to provide a copy of their valid Cyber Essentials (CE) certification.
  • Any request for Government Furnished Assets (GFA) must be explained with full reasoning.
  • All costs are to be shown as a rough order of magnitude (ROM) in £K GBP.
  • Suppliers do not need to be a member of the WSRF to submit a proposal. However, should your proposal progress to contract award, you will be required to become a WSRF Partner and confirm your unqualified acceptance of the WSRF NDA and the Terms and Conditions of the WSRF Enabler.

WSRF NDA Doc

Should you require any further information or guidance, please reach out to one of the team at WSRF Commercial WSRFCOMMERCIAL@qinetiq.com