A $13M Bet on UK Battery Tech That Could Reshape Defense

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-14

When you think about cutting-edge defense technology, batteries probably aren't the first thing that comes to mind. But they should be. A recent investment in a UK battery specialist is quietly changing how we think about maritime operations, sovereign manufacturing, and mission-critical systems. LORILLION, a Coventry-based engineering and R&D company, has just secured a multi-million-pound investment from SubSea Craft, a Portsmouth-based maritime technology firm. While the exact figure wasn't disclosed, reports suggest the deal is worth around $13 million. This move gives SubSea Craft a 40% equity stake in LORILLION. ### Why This Matters for Defense and Beyond This isn't just another funding round. The investment is designed to strengthen the UK's sovereign capability to design, industrialize, and manufacture specialist battery systems for defense, marine, and automotive sectors. In plain English: the UK wants to stop relying on foreign suppliers for critical battery tech. That's a big deal. When you're operating submarines, underwater drones, or high-speed maritime vessels, you can't afford supply chain hiccups. You need batteries that work reliably under extreme pressure and in harsh conditions. Richie Frost, CEO of LORILLION, put it this way: "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." ### What LORILLION Brings to the Table Founded in 2023, LORILLION isn't your average battery company. It specializes in the rapid development of bespoke battery systems for demanding, highly regulated applications. Think defense, marine, aerospace, and automotive — sectors where failure isn't an option. The company offers turnkey services that cover everything from initial concept development to product design, validation, certification, and production. That's a full lifecycle approach, which is rare in this space. With this fresh capital, LORILLION plans to: - Expand its engineering team to over 70 people - Accelerate development of its proprietary battery-management technology - Support a new production facility in the Midlands, opening next year That's serious growth for a company that's only been around for a couple of years. ### SubSea Craft's Mission and the VICTA Platform SubSea Craft, founded in 2014, has a clear mission: give maritime and amphibious forces an operational advantage through accelerated research, development, and delivery of maritime technology. They're not just building boats; they're building platforms that can operate in contested and denied environments. Their flagship platform, VICTA, is a dual-domain maritime vessel. It can travel at high speed on the surface, then rapidly transition to a wet, subsurface mode for covert delivery of operators or equipment. Think James Bond meets modern naval warfare. ### The Battery That Can Handle the Deep Here's where it gets interesting. LORILLION is developing a bespoke pressure-tolerant battery system for the VICTA vessel, designed to operate at depths exceeding 164 feet. That's not your everyday lithium-ion pack. This battery needs to withstand intense pressure while delivering reliable power for mission-critical operations. Camilla Martin, CEO of SubSea Craft, said it best: "Modern defense capability is only as resilient as the industrial base behind it. Our investment in LORILLION is about more than securing batteries. It's about securing the engineering knowledge, manufacturing capability, and freedom of action required to develop and sustain strategically important British technology." ### Why This Investment Is Strategic For SubSea Craft, the battery is not a commodity component. It's a mission-critical system. Having a UK design and manufacturing partner working directly alongside their engineering teams allows them to accelerate development, maintain control of performance, and strengthen supply chain resilience. This partnership represents a shift in how defense tech companies think about their supply chains. Instead of sourcing components from multiple vendors across the globe, they're investing in domestic partners who can deliver exactly what they need, when they need it. ### The Bigger Picture The defense industry is evolving rapidly. Autonomous systems, unmanned vehicles, and advanced maritime platforms are becoming the norm. All of these require sophisticated battery technology. By investing in LORILLION, SubSea Craft is positioning itself at the forefront of this revolution. For LORILLION, this investment validates their approach and gives them the resources to scale. It's a win-win partnership that could have ripple effects across the entire defense and marine sectors. As the world becomes more complex and contested, the ability to manufacture critical technologies domestically will only become more important. This deal is a smart bet on the future of maritime defense.