Mission-ready engineering solutions

Ricardo delivers wide-ranging engineering programmes across light and heavy land and sea operating spaces and is the partner of choice for many original equipment manufacturers.

Our expertise

We offer a unique mix of operational, technical and strategic expertise, coupled with access to world-leading engineering facilities. Ricardo is backed by a global world-class team of engineers, manufacturing experts and consultants to deliver independent, impartial full-systems defence programmes in compressed timescales.

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The quality of our solutions results from a unique combination of operational, technical and strategic expertise, coupled with access to world-leading engineering facilities.

We work with special forces units internationally to deliver
performance reliability and technology integration that make a real difference in extreme and demanding operating conditions.

Our full-service engineering capability enables us to deliver anything from complete vehicle programmes down to development of individual components for new vehicle concepts through to in-service upgrades of existing fleets for emerging operational requirements.

We have been active in defence systems engineering since our founder’s pioneering work developing the Ricardo engine to improve range, reliability and reducing smoke emissions for the Mark V tank used by the British Army in World War One.

The evolving challenges faced by armed forces placing ever-increasing demands on equipment, continued to put Ricardo at the forefront of applying innovative engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions throughout the past 100 years.

Like all industry sectors, the defence sector is being challenged to decarbonise at pace, in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions derived from fossil fuels. Ricardo is at the forefront of developing greener solutions for the defence market, from electrification and hybrid, to alternative fuels and hydrogen solutions.

Improvements in efficiency and productivity of vehicles and transport infrastructure seen in civilian applications of decarbonised technologies such as hybridisation are expected to translate to similar military advantages.

Significant additional performance and sustainability enhancements can be made through the use decarbonised technologies targeted to the specific characteristics of military vehicles and operations.

Our broad capability in the manufacture and assembly of niche volume, specialised products enables us to deliver a range of support options for the defence market.

We specialise in the development and supply and upgrade of specialist powertrain and driveline, from full special vehicle prototype build to bespoke transmission solutions.

As repair and overhauls specialists for military applications, our world-class capability and state-of-the-art facilities also enable us to deliver comprehensive through-life and in-service support solutions. This includes a full range of Post-Design Services (PDS), configuration control, safety cases, asset and whole fleet management, spares, obsolescence, repairs and maintenance, training and mid life upgrades with a suite of contracting options.

Ricardo has long been engaged in the marine sector and fully understands the challenges of increasingly strict emissions legislation, the imperative of improving ship energy efficiency and reducing fuel consumption, while also minimising total design, construction and operating costs.

Ricardo is a nominated supplier of marine support to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). For over 30 years, Ricardo has been a selected key supplier to the Marine Engine Group of the MoD’s Defence Equipment Support Team, providing independent, wide-ranging specialist technical services in the fields of power plant selection and operation. Ricardo is a member of the Naval Advisers on Fuels and Lubricants Working Groups.

Ford Ranger Static
Defence

Services

Helping our clients meet the challenges of increasingly strict emissions legislation, the imperative of improving energy efficiency and reducing fuel consumption, while also minimising total design, construction and operating costs without compromise to performance.

Ricardo delivers a range of assurance and testing services across a variety of industries.

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Find out more about our expert automotive testing solutions at our state-of-the-art facilities.

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Ricardo specialise in high-performance, niche volume manufacturing and assembly for complex, precision, electromechanical products and offer world-class industrialisation consultancy

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Precision manufacture of complex mechanical components for engines and transmissions for high performance and specialised applications delivered in low volumes.

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Prototype builds and vehicle adaption services for special vehicle platforms.

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Ricardo offers world-class technical consulting services to enable our customers to get the most from their products and services in the energy, transportation and manufacturing sectors.

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Our expert team support businesses with bespoke software solutions and stable software libraries for development programs.

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Experts in delivering innovative system engineering and integration solutions towards a safe and sustainable future.

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Technical insights and analysis from Ricardo experts.

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News

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