Defence
Mission-ready engineering solutions
Ricardo delivers wide-ranging engineering programmes across light and heavy land and sea operating spaces and is the partner of choice for many original equipment manufacturers.
Our expertise
Our broad capability in the manufacture and assembly of niche volume, specialised products enables us to deliver a range of support options for the defence market.
We specialise in the development and supply and upgrade of specialist powertrain and driveline, from full special vehicle prototype build to bespoke transmission solutions.
As repair and overhauls specialists for military applications, our world-class capability and state-of-the-art facilities also enable us to deliver comprehensive through-life and in-service support solutions. This includes a full range of Post-Design Services (PDS), configuration control, safety cases, asset and whole fleet management, spares, obsolescence, repairs and maintenance, training and mid life upgrades with a suite of contracting options.
Case studies
Final drive refurbishment for defence
Read projectA global world-class team of engineers
We offer a unique mix of operational, technical and strategic expertise, coupled with access to world-leading engineering facilities.
The quality of our solutions results from a unique combination of operational, technical and strategic expertise, coupled with access to world-leading engineering facilities.
We work with special forces units internationally to deliver
performance reliability and technology integration that make a real difference in extreme and demanding operating conditions.
Our full-service engineering capability enables us to deliver anything from complete vehicle programmes down to development of individual components for new vehicle concepts through to in-service upgrades of existing fleets for emerging operational requirements.
We have been active in defence systems engineering since our founder’s pioneering work developing the Ricardo engine to improve range, reliability and reducing smoke emissions for the Mark V tank used by the British Army in World War One.
The evolving challenges faced by armed forces placing ever-increasing demands on equipment, continued to put Ricardo at the forefront of applying innovative engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions throughout the past 100 years.
Like all industry sectors, the defence sector is being challenged to decarbonise at pace, in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions derived from fossil fuels. Ricardo is at the forefront of developing greener solutions for the defence market, from electrification and hybrid, to alternative fuels and hydrogen solutions.
Improvements in efficiency and productivity of vehicles and transport infrastructure seen in civilian applications of decarbonised technologies such as hybridisation are expected to translate to similar military advantages.
Significant additional performance and sustainability enhancements can be made through the use decarbonised technologies targeted to the specific characteristics of military vehicles and operations.
Our broad capability in the manufacture and assembly of niche volume, specialised products enables us to deliver a range of support options for the defence market.
We specialise in the development and supply and upgrade of specialist powertrain and driveline, from full special vehicle prototype build to bespoke transmission solutions.
As repair and overhauls specialists for military applications, our world-class capability and state-of-the-art facilities also enable us to deliver comprehensive through-life and in-service support solutions. This includes a full range of Post-Design Services (PDS), configuration control, safety cases, asset and whole fleet management, spares, obsolescence, repairs and maintenance, training and mid life upgrades with a suite of contracting options.
Ricardo has long been engaged in the marine sector and fully understands the challenges of increasingly strict emissions legislation, the imperative of improving ship energy efficiency and reducing fuel consumption, while also minimising total design, construction and operating costs.
Ricardo is a nominated supplier of marine support to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). For over 30 years, Ricardo has been a selected key supplier to the Marine Engine Group of the MoD’s Defence Equipment Support Team, providing independent, wide-ranging specialist technical services in the fields of power plant selection and operation. Ricardo is a member of the Naval Advisers on Fuels and Lubricants Working Groups.
Engineering for light and heavy land and sea platforms
The quality of our solutions results from a unique combination of operational, technical and strategic expertise, coupled with access to world-leading engineering facilities.
We work with special forces units internationally to deliver
performance reliability and technology integration that make a real difference in extreme and demanding operating conditions.
Our full-service engineering capability enables us to deliver anything from complete vehicle programmes down to development of individual components for new vehicle concepts through to in-service upgrades of existing fleets for emerging operational requirements.
A history of dedicated service
We have been active in defence systems engineering since our founder’s pioneering work developing the Ricardo engine to improve range, reliability and reducing smoke emissions for the Mark V tank used by the British Army in World War One.
The evolving challenges faced by armed forces placing ever-increasing demands on equipment, continued to put Ricardo at the forefront of applying innovative engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions throughout the past 100 years.
Complete technical solutions for defence and special vehicles
Our range of solutions target a range of service targets including reducing cost, compressing timescales, programme leadership, and autonomy and critical systems.
We also offer expert engineering support, comprehensive through-life capability management (TLCM) and agile operational support.
Ricardo has a long track record of success in the automotive sector and has been the engineering consultancy of choice for many well-known industry names.
We span the breadth of the sector, and from passenger cars to trucks and super bikes to Tuk-Tuks, Ricardo engineering has made a difference.
In the military sector, Ricardo was the designer and integrator of the Land Rover WMIK, a vehicle that has been the backbone of defence integration business activities, which have grown and developed in response to heightened threats in the deployed space.
Our vehicle engineering capability has supported a range of original equipment manufacturers, both in wheels and tracks, in the UK and internationally. Our ability to manufacture short production runs of technically sophisticated components, assemblies and complete vehicles has served the sector well, with a number of bespoke vehicles in service around the world.
Ricardo has delivered vehicle-performance improvements to new and legacy equipment, accepting challenges set by time- and resource-pressured clients and end users alike.
Ricardo has been the engineering partner of choice for many original equipment manufacturers. Our wide engineering capabilities have enabled solutions to be provided in the light to heavy operating space in land and sea and air. Ricardo has redesigned and engineered land-based vehicles to improve performance in fuel efficiency and emissions, reducing weight and increasing ballistic protection in response to increased operational threat levels.
Ricardo invests in and develops its own technology and innovative solutions for application across a number of market sectors. In the defence market, we offer:
- Hybrid and electric drives
- Kinetic energy storage solutions
- Battery power and control electronics
- Drive-by-wire systems
- Infra-red sensors
- High-ballistic-absorbing seating
- Composite pods
- Overhead weapon stations
- Autonomous vehicles
- Efficient, small high-performance engines
- Waste-heat recovery systems
- Intelligent driver aids
Ricardo is committed to finding the best solutions, using leading-edge, complex modelling and simulation tools to enable reliable and proven solutions and prototypes to be developed to perform as designed.
The hybridisation of powertrains for surface and sub-surface vessels is becoming more critical, giving higher efficiency, increased availability and reduced servicing. Extension of mission range through the addition of electrified powertrain components and ancillaries, in addition to low-noise approach modes, provides a compelling argument for hybridisation.
Our land and marine engineering teams provide support solutions designed on a case-by-case basis. However, the objective of all solutions we offer is to enable our clients to achieve and sustain maximum capability, system availability and cost effectiveness throughout the life of their equipment.
We offer expert engineering support, comprehensive through-life capability management (TLCM) and agile operational support. This includes a full range of Post-Design Services (PDS), configuration control, safety cases, asset and whole fleet management, spares, obsolescence, repairs and maintenance, training and mid-life upgrades with a suite of contracting options.
We utilise a systems engineering approach to produce performance-based support solutions. Our aim is to provide assurance and verification of engineering designs, delivering a tailored, sustainable and cost-effective support solution.
These services are formally contracted for in-service phases of a piece of equipment's lifecycle. PDS can comprise a broad range of activities designed to maintain in-service equipment capability.
Examples of PDS activities are:
- Configuration management
- Obsolescence management
- Technical reporting
- Function and design reporting
- Engineering surveys
- Modification implementation
- Design/prototype testing
- New component design and testing
- Technical documentation
- Onsite training
Ricardo deploys teams of specialists to carry out support of all PDS activities. Our teams have worked with various organisations, providing a flexible portfolio of services to ensure equipment fulfils its life expectancy.
Our team can also advise on mid-life equipment improvements and replacement purchases.
Decarbonising defence
Like all industry sectors, the defence sector is being challenged to decarbonise at pace, in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions derived from fossil fuels. Ricardo is at the forefront of developing greener solutions for the defence market, from electrification and hybrid, to alternative fuels and hydrogen solutions.
Improvements in efficiency and productivity of vehicles and transport infrastructure seen in civilian applications of decarbonised technologies such as hybridisation are expected to translate to similar military advantages.
Significant additional performance and sustainability enhancements can be made through the use decarbonised technologies targeted to the specific characteristics of military vehicles and operations.
Marine solutions
Ricardo has long been engaged in the marine sector and fully understands the challenges of increasingly strict emissions legislation, the imperative of improving ship energy efficiency and reducing fuel consumption, while also minimising total design, construction and operating costs.
Ricardo is a nominated supplier of marine support to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). For over 30 years, Ricardo has been a selected key supplier to the Marine Engine Group of the MoD’s Defence Equipment Support Team, providing independent, wide-ranging specialist technical services in the fields of power plant selection and operation. Ricardo is a member of the Naval Advisers on Fuels and Lubricants Working Groups.
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