Business
Completion of Partnership with Whitespace
Defence Holdings PLC (LSE: ALRT) announced a strategic partnership with Whitespace Global Limited to co-develop AI applications for defence. The partnership's first project, already underway for the UK Ministry of Defence, is commercially significant with long-term deployment potential. The companies will build a portfolio of sovereign AI applications on Whitespace's Collective OS platform, with Defence Holdings investing in initial development and receiving revenue share and cost recovery upon deployment. The applications will focus on areas such as autonomous decision-making and information warfare. Joint IP ownership will allow flexibility to spin out projects into Special Purpose Vehicles. The partnership aims to create a UK-based leader in sovereign AI defence technology. Disclaimer*
About this update from Defence Holdings Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\nThe information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014, as retained as part of the law of England and Wales. Upon the publication of this announcement via the Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.\nFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n19 August 2025\nLondon, UK\nDefence Holdings PLC\n(\"Defence\" or \"the Company\")\n \nDefence Holdings Completes Strategic Partnership with Whitespace to Deliver Sovereign AI Infrastructure for Defence Applications Defence Holdings PLC (LSE: ALRT), the UK's first listed software-led defence company, is pleased to announce that it has completed a binding Strategic Partnership with Whitespace Global Limited (\"Whitespace\"), a leading UK deep-technology company specialising in AI infrastructure for defence, national security, and regulated public sector operations.\nThe agreement formalises the framework for Defence Holdings and Whitespace to co-develop a portfolio of defence-focused software applications and AI agents on Whitespace's proprietary Collective OS platform, with the first builds for the UK Ministry of Defence and allied partners already underway.\n \nKey Highlights\n \n● The partnership's first AI product is already under development for the UK Ministry of Defence. While details remain part of an operationally classified programme, it represents a commercially significant opportunity with long-term deployment potential.\n● Already engaged with one of the world's leading technology providers to accelerate deployment timelines and support scalability.\n● Framework to co-develop a portfolio of sovereign AI applications on Collective OS for high-priority defence and national security use cases.\n● Defence Holdings to invest in initial AI capability builds, securing long-term commercial upside through a revenue share and structured cost recovery on deployment.\n● Applications to deliver operational advantage in mission-critical domains, including autonomous decision-making, secure intelligence fusion, multi-domain situational awareness, protection of critical national infrastructure, and information domain dominance, enc...