The new UK defence purchasing minister has announced the production of a Defence Technology Plan, intended to lay out the kind of new military tech the UK armed forces would like to see developed.

Baroness Taylor, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support has just replaced the outgoing Lord Drayson, who quit in the run-up to a comprehensive update of UK defence-industrial policy saying he wanted to spend more time with his alcohol car. (It seems clear that the noble lord's plan on how to deal with the remaining £1bn hole in the UK defence budget may have not been approved by the new PM.)

We are taking the Defence Technology Strategy forward by developing the Defence Technology Plan. This plan will enable transparent prioritisation and coherence across MoD's R&D programme by setting out the research programme in the form of technology roadmaps derived from key R&D objectives. It will form the basis of our national and international partnerships with academia, industry and allies.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will develop the plan "in consultation with the wider stakeholder community". It will "take forward" the direction already provided in the Defence Technology Strategy of 2006 (warning - 200 page gov pdf). ®

Related stories

• Hurlable 360° cam-grenades used by IDF in Gaza (23 February 2009)
• UK military faces spectrum sell off (31 January 2008)
• Analysis MoD trumpets 'Innovation Strategy' for buying kit (18 December 2007)
• Ministry of Defence leaks counter terrorism traffic (10 December 2007)
• MoD's Baron techwealth quits for Le Mans biofuel bid (8 November 2007)
• Japanese officials in tables-turned GPS tracking rumpus (1 November 2007)
• Brussels arms bod: Don't buy Yankee deathware (24 October 2007)
• MoD slashes IT jobs (24 October 2007)
• BAE slimed from all directions (21 September 2007)
• UK could get privileged access to American kill-tech (28 June 2007)