McLaughlin & Harvey has secured a contract valued at more than £100m to deliver a new combat air facility for Rolls-Royce in Bristol.

The site will accommodate research, manufacturing and assembly, creating capacity for new product development to support the future of air combat. Construction is expected to get under way later in 2026.

Paul Pennington, Senior Vice President of Infrastructure, Defence

Rolls-Royce, said: "We are very pleased to be announcing the contract award to McLaughlin & Harvey. This complex facility is a physical manifestation of our commitment to novel technology and agile ways of working.

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"By embedding our previous learnings, we are creating a space for state-of-the-art technology development, to ensure we meet our ambitious customer commitments while future-proofing our capabilities for decades to come."

Planned as a connected, digital-first complex, the facility is designed to accelerate research, testing and production while enabling high-tech, innovative development.

Dougie McCusker, Construction Director, McLaughlin & Harvey, said: "We have a longstanding partnership with Rolls-Royce and have completed two advanced manufacturing projects for them.

"Our Midlands and South West team will draw on this past experience and broader expertise in complex manufacturing environments to support the client in building a state-of-the-art manufacturing and assembly facility in Bristol."

Once operational, the Bristol facility is intended to future-proof capability for next-generation combat air requirements. The development is underpinned by ongoing enabling works to enhance safety, security and resilience across the site.