Our work at AWE is vital to national nuclear security. Our purpose is to ‘Protect the UK through nuclear science and technology’, and our mission is ‘To design and manufacture warheads and provide nuclear services to meet the needs of defence’.
In 2020, Parliament announced the programme to build a Replacement Warhead, a key element of the 2021 Integrated Review of Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. AWE is responsible for delivering the Replacement Warhead, alongside our existing commitment to maintain the current in-service warhead for as long as it is required.
Alongside warhead maintenance and development, AWE must continue to provide NTR capabilities, including support to Border Force, non-proliferation and counter terrorism.
Our highly skilled teams are fundamental to the delivery of our mission, but so too are our facilities and site infrastructure.
Our facilities for manufacturing and maintenance are being updated so we can support the existing warhead while we develop and produce the replacement warhead for the future. New facilities will allow our scientists to carry out the research and development necessary to support our mission.
These new facilities will be located on our existing site at Aldermaston and, as part of this, we will be building the Future Materials Campus (FMC).
The Future Materials Campus (FMC)
The Future Materials Campus is part of a wider, multi-year multi-billion pound portfolio of infrastructure investment that will support us in our overall purpose to protect the UK through nuclear science and technology, and enable nuclear science for generations to come.
The FMC programme will renew existing facilities for the manufacture and storage of nuclear materials, improve science and analysis capabilities, and invest in renewed capability for material recovery.
The FMC provides a unique and exciting opportunity for the UK to push forward its expertise in science and technology, and secure the UK’s position as a global leader in nuclear technologies.
A beacon of UK construction, manufacturing and engineering, FMC will contribute to the UK’s skills development and create new and exciting job opportunities across our supply chains and in our local area.
Job creation
The Future Materials Campus (FMC) will create thousands of new jobs cross our supply chains and in our local area.
Upskilling
The Future Materials Campus (FMC) will contribute to the UK’s skills development, creating jobs in the local area and across the UK supply chain.
Deterrence
We are responsible for delivering the Replacement Warhead, alongside our existing commitment to maintain the warhead.
Supply Chain
We are developing how we engage and partner with our supply chain to ensure we can sustain our mission for the long-term.