Military to have more titanium submarines as cost is cut by half

THE Armed Forces will have more planes and submarines made from titanium, thanks to a new “ground-breaking” cost-cutting method.

Scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in Porton Down have reduced the 40-stage process involved in creating the metal down to just two stages, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said, reducing the cost of the process by half.

Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, said titanium is used by the military for things such as cutting-edge nuclear submarines, fighter jets and life-changing replacement limbs. “But production time and costs mean we haven’t always used it,” he said. “This ground-breaking method is not only faster and cheaper, but could also see a huge expansion of titanium parts and equipment throughout the military.”

More than £30,000 has been invested by Dstl in the research project at the University of Sheffield, which led to the development of the new manufacturing process.

The MOD said only small-scale trials had so far been carried out, but a new large-scale fast furnace facility – jointly funded by Dstl and Kennametal Manufacturing Ltd – had been built which would enable the production of larger components for testing.