United Kingdom opens a £2.45 million Innovative Tactical Power competition with Australia

16 October 2026

United Kingdom Defence Innovation has opened the Tactical Power Challenge for the British Army, supported by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and delivered in partnership with Australia's Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator. The funded Innovative Tactical Power competition carries 2.45 million pounds excluding value added tax. Stage 1 opened at 12 noon Greenwich Mean Time on 15 October 2026 and submissions are due at 12 noon Greenwich Mean Time on 10 November 2026; Stage 2 is by invitation only and demonstration activities are to be completed by March 2028. The challenge seeks safer alternatives to lithium-ion with equal or greater energy density, high-speed charging, novel power generation, power storage, management and distribution, technologies supporting silent operation and a lower logistics burden, soldier-carried and localised power generation, and integrated tactical power systems or individual components.