In this issue

Issue 117 • November 2020

Welcome to the all-new GDT! We've given our magazine an upgrade to bring you even more defence industry news, comment and analysis, with a new structure that makes it easier to navigate. You can now jump directly to any article using the navigation bar at the top, or browse our new sections for news, comment, in-depth analysis and essential data.

Here's what we have for you in this issue:

The amount of debris in low Earth orbit has increased massively over the past few decades, and the risk of satellites or spacecraft colliding with 'space junk' increases with every artefact launched into space. This is why the UK Space Agency and MOD have teamed up with industry to develop systems to track space debris and tackle threats to safe navigation in low Earth orbit. We take a look at some of the companies and technologies involved.

With big changes ahead on the world's political stage, we explore what Joe Biden's election to US President will mean for the defence community and find out how the UK's defence sector is preparing for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.

In technology, we speak to QinetiQ about hybrid electric systems for military vehicles, find out why the emergence of 'grey zone' threats requires a re-think of defence systems, and take a look at the vital role precision motors play in defence applications. 

And, after a long year of virtual conferences, we catch up with the organisers of DSEI about their plans to bring the defence industry back together in the real world in 2021.

We hope you enjoy our new look. Tell us your thoughts on Twitter @DefenceTech_Mag!

Susanne Hauner, publisher