SubSea Craft's Bold Bet on UK Battery Tech Could Reshape Defense

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-14

### A Strategic Investment in Sovereign Battery Capability When you think about what makes a military platform truly formidable, the battery probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But for Portsmouth-based maritime technology company SubSea Craft, it's everything. The company just made a multi-million-dollar investment in LORILLION, a Coventry-based engineering and R&D firm, acquiring a 40% equity stake in the specialist. This isn't just another funding round. It's a calculated move to secure the UK's sovereign capability to design, industrialize, and manufacture specialist battery systems for defense, marine, and automotive sectors. In an era where supply chains can break overnight, having this expertise in-house is a game-changer. ### Why This Partnership Matters Here's the thing about modern defense technology: it's only as resilient as the industrial base behind it. That's a quote straight from Camilla Martin, CEO of SubSea Craft, and it hits the nail on the head. She put it perfectly when she said, "Modern defence capability is only as resilient as the industrial base behind it." The investment allows LORILLION to expand its engineering team to over 70 people, accelerate development of its proprietary battery-management technology, and support a new production facility in the Midlands, which is set to open next year. That's a serious commitment to building something lasting. Richie Frost, CEO of LORILLION, explained the partnership's significance: "Our strategic partnership with SubSea Craft will accelerate the development of key battery technologies and a dedicated battery-pack manufacturing capability, enabling a vital end-to-end sovereign capability in the UK." ### The Tech Behind the Deal LORILLION, founded in 2023, specializes in the rapid development of bespoke battery systems for demanding, highly regulated applications. They offer turnkey services spanning initial concept development, product design, validation, certification, and production. Think of them as the architects of power for some of the most challenging environments on Earth. What makes this particularly interesting is what they're building for SubSea Craft's VICTA platform. This advanced dual-domain maritime vessel can zip across the surface at high speed, then transition to a wet, subsurface mode for covert delivery of operators and equipment. For that to work, you need a battery that can handle serious pressure. LORILLION is developing a bespoke pressure-tolerant battery system designed to operate at depths exceeding 160 feet. That's not your average EV battery pack. ### A Bigger Picture SubSea Craft, founded in 2014, isn't just about building cool boats. Their mission is to provide maritime and amphibious forces with operational advantage through accelerated research, development, and delivery of maritime technology. They fuse continuous end-user engagement with rapid prototyping and open-architecture, software-centric design. Here's what makes this partnership so smart: - It keeps critical technology development in-country, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers - It creates a complete route from battery concept through design, testing, and certified production - It strengthens the resilience of the entire supply chain for mission-critical systems Martin summed it up best: "For VICTA, the battery is not a commodity component. It is a mission-critical system. Having a UK design and manufacturing partner working directly alongside our engineering teams will allow us to accelerate development, maintain control of performance and strengthen the resilience of our supply chain." This investment represents a major step forward for both companies and for the UK's ability to develop advanced battery systems for defense and other demanding applications. It's a reminder that sometimes the most strategic moves happen quietly, behind the scenes, in the world of specialized engineering.