SubSea Craft's Bold Bet on UK Battery Tech: What It Means for Defense

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-14

When a maritime tech company drops millions into a battery specialist, it's easy to assume it's just another supply chain move. But SubSea Craft's recent investment in LORILLION is about way more than keeping the lights on. It's a signal that the UK is serious about owning its defense tech from the ground up—and that's a story worth digging into. Here's the short version: SubSea Craft, based in Portsmouth, has acquired a 40% stake in LORILLION, a Coventry-based engineering firm that builds bespoke electrification and clean-energy systems. The deal is worth several million pounds (roughly $5–10 million USD, though exact figures weren't disclosed). The goal? Strengthen the UK's ability to design, build, and manufacture specialized battery systems for defense, marine, and automotive use—all without relying on foreign suppliers. ### Why This Investment Matters For years, the UK has leaned on overseas partners for critical battery tech, especially in defense. That's a vulnerability. If you can't source the batteries that power your submarines, drones, or amphibious vehicles, you're not truly sovereign. SubSea Craft's move is a direct answer to that problem. Richie Frost, LORILLION's CEO, put it plainly: "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." That's not just corporate speak. It means LORILLION can now take a battery from concept to certified production—all under one roof. No hand-offs to third parties, no supply chain gaps, no excuses. ### What LORILLION Brings to the Table Founded in 2023, LORILLION is young but scrappy. It specializes in rapid development of bespoke battery systems for highly regulated industries: defense, marine, aerospace, and automotive. The company offers turnkey services, from initial concept and product design to validation, certification, and full production. With this fresh capital, LORILLION plans to: - Expand its engineering team to over 70 people - Accelerate development of its proprietary battery-management technology - Open a new production facility in the Midlands next year That's a big jump for a company that's only been around for a couple of years. But it shows the demand is there—especially for batteries that can handle extreme conditions. ### The VICTA Connection: Batteries That Go Deep SubSea Craft isn't just writing a check. They're deeply embedded in this partnership. Their flagship platform, VICTA, is a dual-domain maritime vessel that can zip across the surface at high speed, then submerge to deliver operators or equipment covertly. That requires a battery system that can handle serious pressure—down to depths of over 50 meters (about 164 feet). LORILLION is developing a bespoke, pressure-tolerant battery system for VICTA. This isn't a commodity component; it's mission-critical. If the battery fails, the mission fails. That's why having a UK-based design and manufacturing partner matters so much. Camilla Martin, SubSea Craft's CEO, explained: "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." ### The Bigger Picture for Defense Tech This deal is a microcosm of a larger trend: nations are rethinking how they build and maintain critical defense infrastructure. The UK isn't alone in this. Across Europe and the US, there's a push to bring advanced manufacturing back home, especially for technologies that are too sensitive to outsource. For startups and scale-ups in the defense space, this is a reminder that partnerships can be as valuable as funding. A strategic investor like SubSea Craft brings more than cash—they bring domain expertise, real-world use cases, and a customer who's invested in your success. ### What's Next LORILLION's new facility in the Midlands will be key. It's slated to open next year and will likely become the hub for their expanded production capabilities. Meanwhile, SubSea Craft continues to develop VICTA and other multi-domain platforms, all of which will rely on the battery tech LORILLION is building. If you're watching the UK's defense ecosystem, this is one to keep an eye on. The partnership could set a template for how maritime and battery companies collaborate—not just in the UK, but globally.