REG-Defence Holdings Plc: Defence Holdings Provides Operational Update, Publishes Operating Model, Strategic Equity Position, CEO Interview and Update on ATM

Defence HoldingsAnnouncement

28/05/2026 07:02

28 May 2026

London, UK

Defence Holdings PLC

("Defence" or "the Company")

 

Defence Holdings Provides Operational Update, Publishes Operating Model,
Announces Strategic Equity Position with OM Defence Systems, CEO Interview and
Update on ATM Facility

 

Defence Holdings PLC (LSE: ALRT), the UK’s software-led defence technology
group, today provides an operational update following an initial assessment of
the business and wider market opportunity undertaken by Chief Executive
Officer Andrew Roughan. The Company also announces the publication of its
Operating Model and a strategic equity position with OM Defence Systems,
representing an early validation milestone for the Defence Holdings model and
its strategy of creating value through multiple aligned routes across the
defence technology ecosystem.
Highlights
·                            Defence Holdings publishes its Operating
Model at playbook.defenceplc.com, formalising the Company’s framework for
operational execution and long-term value creation across the defence
technology ecosystem

·                            Operating Model positions Defence
Holdings across customer requirement, emerging technology capability and
private capital within a single integrated structure

·                            Strategic partnership, revenue
participation and equity position agreed with OM Defence Systems, representing
the first strategic partnership established under the Defence Holdings
Operating Model

·                            First public comments from CEO Andrew
Roughan to be broadcast live via the company's web platform and X account at
12:00 noon. BST on 1 June 2026.

 
Operational Update
Over the past two months, Chief Executive Officer Andrew Roughan has focused
on refining the strategic and operational structure required to support
Defence Holdings’ long-term commercial execution across the defence and
national security sector.

This work has focused on formalising how Defence Holdings positions itself
across three core areas: customer requirement, emerging technology capability
and private capital, with the objective of creating a scalable operating
structure capable of identifying, supporting and commercialising strategically
relevant defence technologies.

The Company believes the combination of these three forces within a single
integrated operating model creates differentiated pathways to long-term value
creation across the evolving defence technology ecosystem.

The Company believes significant structural change is underway across the
European defence technology environment, driven by increasing demand for
sovereign, software-defined and AI-enabled capability alongside growing
emphasis on accelerated innovation and SME participation across UK Defence
procurement.

The output of this process has been formalised within the Defence Holdings
Operating Model published today at playbook.defenceplc.com, establishing the
Company’s framework for operational execution and participation across
multiple aligned routes to long-term value creation.

The playbook will be available to view at                                 
www.defenceplc.com

 
Strategic Partnership, Revenue Participation and Equity Position Agreed with
OM Defence Systems
The Company can confirm that it has entered into a strategic partnership
arrangement with OM Defence Systems, an emerging autonomous defence systems
and sovereign manufacturing business focused on counter-UAS capability,
autonomous targeting systems, deployable defence infrastructure and rapid
operational manufacturing capability for contested environments.

OM Group is developing software-defined autonomous defence systems and
sovereign European defence manufacturing capability informed by operational
experience across Ukraine and Europe, with current capability focused on drone
interception, field support systems and deployable counter-UAS infrastructure.

The agreement represents the first strategic partnership established under the
Defence Holdings Operating Model and reflects the Company’s strategy of
connecting emerging defence technology companies with customers, commercial
infrastructure and strategic capital.

Under the arrangement, Defence Holdings will support OM Defence Systems across
capital strategy, operational scaling and Defence market access through the
Defence Holdings Operating Model and broader commercial ecosystem.

As part of the structure, Defence Holdings will receive long-term
participation in revenues associated with customer contract opportunities
introduced through the Defence Holdings commercial ecosystem, and a strategic
equity-linked position in exchange for strategic support, operational
enablement and commercial access delivered through the Defence Holdings
platform.

In addition to the strategic equity position, the structure provides Defence
Holdings with long-term participation in revenues associated with customer
contract opportunities introduced through the Defence Holdings commercial
ecosystem.

The arrangement represents an important validation of the Defence Holdings
Operating Model and demonstrates how the Company intends to create value
through multiple aligned routes across the defence technology ecosystem,
including:

·                            Revenue-generating operational delivery

·                            Strategic advisory and capability support

·                            Long-term strategic participation

·                            Exposure to future contract economics
linked to deployed capability

The structure creates alignment between Defence Holdings and strategically
relevant emerging capability whilst enabling the Company to participate across
multiple layers of long-term value creation.

This approach enables Defence Holdings to align itself closely with
strategically relevant emerging capability in sectors experiencing significant
global demand growth, particularly across autonomous systems, drone warfare
and counter-UAS capability.
CEO Interview Broadcast
Defence Holdings further announces that the first public comments from Chief
Executive Officer Andrew Roughan will be published via the company's web
platform and X account at 12:00 noon. BST on 1 June 2026.

The video broadcast will provide shareholders and market participants with Mr
Roughan’s first detailed public comments since assuming the role, including
further insight into the Company’s Operating Model, strategic direction,
operational priorities and broader approach to long-term value creation across
the defence technology ecosystem.

Mr Roughan will also provide updates relating to the Company’s commercial
progress, including developments across customer contract activity and
operational execution against the Defence Holdings strategy.

Mr Roughan will additionally discuss his ambition and vision for Defence
Holdings, alongside his expectations for the Company’s operational
development and strategic progress over the coming months.

Andrew Roughan, Chief Executive Officer of Defence Holdings,                  
  commented:          
          
          “We believe European defence is entering a period of significant
structural change, creating demand for new operating models capable of moving
faster across customer requirement, emerging technology and operational
delivery.

The work undertaken over recent months has focused on refining how Defence
Holdings positions itself within that environment and formalising a scalable
framework capable of supporting long-term commercial execution.

Importantly, the strategic partnership agreed with OM Defence Systems
demonstrates that the model is already beginning to operate in practice. We
believe the structure creates multiple aligned routes to value creation
through strategic participation, operational support and exposure to emerging
sovereign capability aligned to evolving Defence requirements.

We believe Defence Holdings is positioning itself to become an important
platform through which novel defence technology can be identified, supported,
commercialised and scaled across the European defence ecosystem.”

Update on ATM Facility

 

Following the announcement dated 17 February 2026, Fortified Securities has
successfully raised another gross proceeds of £123,400.00 (the “ATM
Proceeds”) for the period ending 22 May 2026. The distribution of the ATM
Proceeds has been settled.

 

Following the ATM-related sales, Fortified Securities’ shareholding has
decreased from 109,000,000 (4.41% of the issued share capital) to 98,000,000
(3.96% of the issued share capital) as a result of this settlement.

 

Taking into account the ATM Proceeds announced on 31 October 2025, 14 November
2025, 18 December 2025, 5 February 2026, 17 February 2026 and the new ATM
Proceeds set out in today’s announcement, the Company has now raised total
gross proceeds of £877,967.49.

 

About Defence Holdings PLC (ALRT)

Defence Holdings PLC (LSE: ALRT) is the UK's first listed software-led defence
company. Its five-year strategic plan focuses on delivering sovereign digital
capabilities across national security, resilience, and defence readiness.

Website:                                 (http://www.defencetechnologies.com)
                                www.defencetechnologies.com

 

                                Media Enquiries                    
                     Name                     – Director, Andrew Roughan    
      
          Defence Holdings PLC          
          Tel: +44 (0)20 3855 5551 · Email: press@defencetechnologies.com



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