The Aluminium Federation (ALFED) has unveiled its new Defence Report – Sovereign Aluminium for UK Defence: Capability, Resilience and Readiness – setting out a practical roadmap to strengthen domestic aluminium supply and resilience for defence applications.

Launched following DSEI 2025 and ahead of the UK’s updated Critical Minerals Strategy, where aluminium is expected to be recognised as both a Growth and Critical mineral, the report calls for urgent, site-level action to turn policy into delivery.

With defence programmes demanding greater modularity, pace and resilience, ALFED’s plan focuses on four key priorities:

• Bankable energy at site level to enable confident investment in upgrades.
• A Defence Aluminium Capability Audit to map current UK capacity and identify gaps in extrusions, castings, coatings and legacy alloys.
• Investment in circular systems for re-melting, sorting and de-coating, underpinned by digital data standards to retain high-grade scrap in the UK.
• Procurement signals that reward resilience and low-carbon content, helping attract private investment.

The report highlights aluminium’s proven benefits for defence – from lightweight strength and corrosion resistance to recyclability and through-life affordability. UK assets such as the Kitts Green plate mill already supply critical alloys, including aluminium-lithium plate with high recycled content.

However, the analysis warns of significant risks. Aluminium is classed as “very high risk” for defence supply chains due to global production concentration, high UK industrial electricity prices, and the export of over 600,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap in 2024.

“Recognition is the start line; building real, onshore capability is the finish line,” says Nadine Bloxsome, CEO of ALFED. “If we align bankable energy, targeted upgrades and a practical circular system, we can shorten lead times, lift assurance and lower embedded carbon, without compromising performance.” 

Skills development also features prominently. ALFED’s Aluminium Allies network aims to strengthen the technical talent pipeline to support defence manufacturing upgrades.

ALFED will coordinate with government, primes, Tier-1 suppliers and SMEs through the UK Aluminium Alliance, inviting members to contribute data, participate in pilots and help direct investment to priority areas.

The goal: to convert strategic intent into investable, onshore capability that supports national security, high-value jobs and sustainable growth across defence, aerospace, energy, transport and construction.