LMT · News · 20261103N
International Defense Program Expansion
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP · 2026-11-03 · Importance 44 · Surprise 24 · In source text
Former UK defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace urged Andy Burnham to block the Ministry of Defence from awarding the £2 billion Skynet 6A military satellite contract to Lockheed Martin, which was described as the competition frontrunner. Wallace warned that the deal could cause “irreversible” damage to Britain’s space industry; Airbus UK said 3,000 highly skilled jobs could be at risk if it lost the work. Lockheed Martin has promised to open a factory in Newcastle, but Wallace questioned the depth of that commitment and warned that expertise could be lost.
Key facts
- Lockheed Martin was the frontrunner in the competition for the £2bn Skynet 6A contract, which the UK Ministry of Defence had not yet awarded. source
- Lockheed Martin is promising to open its own factory in Newcastle in connection with the Skynet deal. source
Impact estimates
| metric | direction | stage | expected | basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| revenue | positive | contingent | — | Lockheed Martin was the frontrunner in the competition for the £2bn Skynet 6A contract, which the UK Ministry of Defence had not yet… |