Alloyed and UK MOD develop additively manufactured turbojet engines
The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Alloyed Ltd, based in Oxford, UK, have announced the development of a new family of turbojet engines as part of a co-development programme. Led by MOD’s Strategic Capabilities Office, the programme combines MOD investment with matched funding from Alloyed and is intended to support the UK’s defence industrial base.
The programme has delivered a range of digitally designed and manufactured turbojet engines, with applications ranging from small drones to larger aircraft. Alloyed’s A300 and A1100 Argive engines use an additively manufactured architecture designed to reduce part count and enable optimised internal geometries. Alloyed established its Argive propulsion division in 2025.
According to the MOD, the programme establishes a sovereign propulsion capability for future defence systems, strengthening the UK’s ability to design, manufacture, test and sustain critical defence capabilities independently and at scale, while supporting skilled employment and UK supply chains.
More than 60 engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs have already been created through the programme, with a further 45 roles anticipated over the next 12 months as production expands. The initiative also supports a national supply chain involving more than 40 UK suppliers, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, stated, “Taking a jet engine from concept to flight-ready in just a matter of months shows how defence and industry can work together to deliver capabilities at the speed required by today’s world.”
The programme has developed a family of turbojet engines spanning a thrust range of 30 N–2,000 N. Two engines have already progressed into production: a 300 N-class engine has completed flight testing and is now in serial production in the UK, while the larger 1,100 N-class engine progressed from initial concept to flight-ready status in less than seven months.
Alloyed’s Argive division lists corresponding A300 and A1100 turbojet engines, both of which use an additively manufactured architecture. The company states that the engines were designed for AM from the ground up, allowing reduced part counts, improved robustness and optimised internal geometries. Hot-section components in both engines are manufactured using Alloyed’s ABD-900AM high-temperature alloy.
Alongside the engines themselves, the MOD states that the programme has established a UK-based digital design and modelling approach that enables new propulsion systems and engine variants to be designed, assessed and brought into production in months rather than years.
Michael Holmes, Chief Executive Officer of Alloyed, commented, “Working alongside the Ministry of Defence has enabled Alloyed to bring to bear its world-leading metals technologies to mature and demonstrate advanced propulsion systems at remarkable pace while building a lasting capability in the UK. This programme shows the power of combining defence expertise, digital engineering and industrial innovation.”
