DSEI in London this week has once again confirmed its reputation as the major international defence show of the year, bringing together products and services spanning Land, Sea, and Air. With over 1,600 exhibitors and 45,000 attendees converging at ExceL London, the event continues to be a cornerstone for innovation, collaboration, and recruitment in the global defence sector.
Representing Jonathan Lee Recruitment, Jason Cole, Matthew Heath, and Matt Johnson attended to support our continuing sector and client engagement, while also discussing the growing innovation and skills demands with organisations from the UK and abroad.
“As perhaps one of the busiest DSEI’s I have attended in a long time, the event provided a diverse range of opportunities in support of our candidates and clients alike. With the ongoing demands on defence products and services, as well as consideration for future needs and supply chain capacity, it was interesting to identify new brands and products, as well as seeing a very strong attendance level. A good show all round!”
– Matthew Heath, Defence Recruitment Specialist
Securing Advantage: SMEs in Defence
One of the consistent themes running through DSEI 2025 was the importance of SMEs within the defence supply chain. Agile procurement, resilient supply chains, and compliance readiness are increasingly essential for smaller companies aiming to work with primes and MOD contracts.
Our guide How SMEs Can Win Defence Contracts provides practical advice on:
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Navigating defence procurement processes
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Meeting contract and compliance standards
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Building lasting relationships with prime contractors
For SMEs, events like DSEI remain invaluable for networking, learning, and positioning themselves for future opportunities.
Driving Advantage: Technology & Security Clearance
From AI and autonomous systems to UAVs and cybersecurity, technology is reshaping the future of defence. But innovative tools are only as effective as the people who operate them—and here, recruitment and security clearance processes play a critical role.
Our post Security Clearance in Defence: What You Need to Know outlines:
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Clearance types and eligibility requirements
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Timelines for approval
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Career implications for both candidates and employers
This is particularly valuable for service leavers transitioning into civilian defence roles and organisations planning for sensitive projects requiring cleared talent.
Maintaining Advantage: Talent for the Future
A recurring topic at DSEI is the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining a highly skilled defence workforce. With increased UK defence investment, there is a greater demand for specialist talent across engineering, manufacturing, technology, and operations.
Key insights include:
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Service Leavers & Civilian Careers: Guidance for veterans building post-service careers in defence.
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How the UK’s Increased Defence Investment Will Boost SME Recruitment: Recruitment trends and workforce planning insights for SMEs.
By aligning strategies with these trends, both candidates and employers can better prepare for the demands of the future defence landscape.
Learning from Defence Case Studies
At Jonathan Lee Recruitment, we’ve seen first-hand how targeted recruitment strategies support organisations in achieving defence goals. For example:
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CES Advanced Armour – sourcing technical and engineering talent for advanced armour solutions.
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NP Aerospace – supporting specialist aerospace manufacturing recruitment.
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RBSL – helping a defence technology leader scale efficiently.
These examples demonstrate how recruitment specialists can adapt to sector demands while delivering measurable results for clients of all sizes.
Final Thoughts
DSEI 2025 has once again proven itself to be more than just a showcase of technology—it’s a platform for shaping the future of defence recruitment, innovation, and collaboration.
Whether you’re an SME navigating procurement, a service leaver planning your next career move, or a global defence organisation scaling up talent pipelines, the conversations happening at DSEI reflect the shared challenges and opportunities ahead.
At Jonathan Lee Recruitment, we remain committed to supporting the sector with expertise across talent acquisition, market insights, and strategic workforce planning—ensuring that organisations and candidates alike are prepared for the evolving demands of Land, Sea, and Air.
Explore our Defence Recruitment Services to learn more about how we can support your organisation or career.
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