The number of researchers in the UK’s manufacture of weapons and ammunition industry has seen a declining trend over the last decade, decreasing from 1.97 thousand FTEs in 2013 to 1.11 thousand in 2023. This represents an overall decline with fluctuations, including drops as significant as 19.32% in 2014 and gains of 27.07% in 2016. More recently, the decline continued with a year-on-year decrease of 4.79% in 2023 and a CAGR of -6.77% over the last five years.

Looking ahead, the forecast shows a continued reduction in researchers, with expectations of reaching 0.8215 thousand FTEs by 2028. This suggests a forecasted 5-year CAGR of -4.84%, signaling a persistent downward trend.

Future trends to watch for include:

Potential impact of increased automation and technological advancements.
Government policy changes or increased defense budgets affecting research investments.
A shift towards more specialized research areas within the sector.