---
title: "UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-066927"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-066927"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066927.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066927.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT"
published: "2026-03-13"
---

# UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement

Buyer: DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-066927

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066927.json)

## Summary

The procurement process initiated by Defence Equipment and Support, a central government public authority, is currently in the planning stage for the UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement. The tender focuses on the Land Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) Programme's requirement for Specialist Counter Uncrewed Air Systems, situated in Bristol, United Kingdom. This engagement is part of the defence industry's weapons, ammunition, and associated parts category. The deadline for expressing interest in the Market Engagement is scheduled for 10th April 2026. Interested parties must register by this date and ensure compliance with specified security clearance levels to participate.

This engagement presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in air defence systems and counter-uncrewed air technologies to contribute to a strategic defence initiative. The procurement process, adhering to the principles of the Competitive Flexible Procedure under the new Procurement Act 2023, aims to gather information to shape the procurement strategy for Specialist Counter Uncrewed Air Systems. Companies that can supply armoured vehicle-mounted cannon capability for short-range aerial threat defence will find this tender aligned with their expertise, enabling potential growth through long-term contracts over a ten-year period in the UK defence sector.

## Notice

Introduction: The Authority is inviting industry to provide information on Specialist Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (Spec C-UAS) for the Land GBAD Programme. Land-GBAD (Ground Based Air Defence) Programme: The Land GBAD Programme was established in response to Army's requirement for a fully integrated Air Defence system of systems. This will be an enduring capability that will be delivered through incremental capability uplifts over the next 10 years. The Single Statement of User Need (SSUN) for Land GBAD is: "Land-GBAD must provide sufficient, effective capability to warn, inform, deter and defeat selected air threats (including aircraft, missiles, munitions, and UAS), in order to prevent adversary interference from the air inhibiting Joint Force freedom of manoeuvre. Land-GBAD will provide lethal and non-lethal defeat mechanisms and minimise the risk it presents to friendly and neutral air users. It will be deployable on multi-domain operations, integrated, scalable up to divisional level, and in joint and multi-national operations to Protect, Engage, Constrain and Fight". Capabilities to be delivered and enhanced by the Land GBAD programme include: Short-Range Air Defence (SHORAD); Medium-Range Air Defence (MRAD); Specialist Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (S-CUAS) for SHORAD and MRAD; and All Arms Counter Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (All Arms C-sUAS). The capabilities which make up the Land GBAD System of Systems (SOS) will be incrementally procured and delivered through a number of related contracts over a 10-year period, these will require a high level of integration and SOS testing. Specialist Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (Spec C-UAS): Spec C-UAS will be an armoured vehicle mounted cannon capability, that can defeat aerial threats in the forward and rear area of the battlespace at short range. It shall supplement SHORAD (Short Range Air Defence) and MRAD (Medium Range Air Defence), providing cost-effective layering and a multiple engagement capability. Spec C-UAS will need to operate in a stand-alone mode and be able to network with SHORAD and MRAD. The following general conditions should be noted: The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement is for the Authority to gather information for the procurement strategy for the Specialist Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (Spec C-UAS). The Preliminary Market Engagement Notice (PMEN) does not formally signify the beginning of a procurement process and does not constitute commitment to undertake a procurement exercise until the Tender Notice is issued. Notices will be published on Find a Tender service (FTS). The Authority intends to follow the principles of the Competitive Flexible Procedure under the new Procurement Act 2023. All costs associated with producing a response and participating in the in-person meetings are the sole responsibility of the respondent. The team will manage the process in an open and transparent manner, ensuring that participation or non-participation in the Preliminary Market Engagement will not give advantages or disadvantages to any supplier, nor impact their eligibility for future procurement processes. All information provided by respondents shall be treated as commercially sensitive and not shared with any third parties.

### Planning Information

Should your organisation wish to participate in the Market Engagement, please contact the following email address to register your interest: des-gbadwl-comrcl-sharedmailbox@mod.gov.uk. 
All individuals registering interest must hold either SC clearance or BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard), for further details please refer to - Government baseline personnel security standard - GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-baseline-personnel-security-standard 
The deadline to register interest is Friday 10th April 2026. Any requests received after this date may be rejected at the Authority's sole discretion. 
Following a review of the responses received, the Authority may consider holding individual face-to-face meetings with suppliers.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022670-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 13 Mar 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 13 Mar 2026 - 13 Mar 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEFENCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT |
| Locality | BRISTOL |
| Post town | Bristol |
| Postcode | BS34 8JH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England |
| ITL 3 | TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire |
| Local authority | South Gloucestershire |
| Electoral ward | Stoke Park & Cheswick |
| Westminster constituency | Filton and Bradley Stoke |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment

### Codes

- 35300000 - Weapons, ammunition and associated parts

## Release History

- 13 Mar 2026 at 09:08 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022670-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022670-2026
  13th March 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-equipment-and-support
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-baseline-personnel-security-standard
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-066927. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-066927.json.