UK MoD, QinetiQ streamline SME access to test facilities

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and defence company QinetiQ have launched a new project to streamline how SMEs access test and evaluation facilities, to support the accelerated delivery of capabilities to the frontline.   

An announcement from the MoD on 10 October says that, under Project Safari, SMEs will be provided with a “ single front door” to identify and apply for the use of facilities.  

The Safari front door will replace "the need to navigate multiple organisations, approval routes, and facility owners independently,” Nick Borbone, Director of Test and Evaluation Transformation at QinetiQ, told DSEI Gateway.  

A “dedicated team” will be available to help SMEs approach appropriate test environments, understand requirements, obtain approvals, and move rapidly from enquiry to testing, Borbone added.  

Technologies that could reach frontlines faster as a result include hypersonic missiles, directed energy weapons, and autonomous systems, among others, the MoD says.  

What else will the front door offer SMEs?  

According to Borbone, the new front door builds on resources available to SMEs under the MoD and QinetiQ’s existing Test and Evaluation Innovation Gateway, first announced in September 2025.  

The gateway was introduced to reduce barriers for SMEs seeking to access test and evaluation facilities offered by QinetiQ on behalf of the MoD. 

However, Project Safari will not be "limited to a specific number of facilities", Borbone said. 

It will additionally continue to develop the gateway through a triage service and the application of AI technology to help SMEs access support faster, he added.