Slipstream Design Completes NATO DIANA Programme with £1.5 Million in Contracts Secured

Shipley-based Slipstream Design has completed NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) programme, securing two contracts totalling £1.5 million in the process and significantly accelerating the development pathway for its ASTRO wideband adaptive radio platform. Selected from more than 3,200 applicants, Slipstream was one of only 28 UK companies chosen to participate in the six-month programme – a highly competitive cohort that reflects both the quality of the company’s technology and the growing international interest in agile, reconfigurable radio frequency capabilities.

The DIANA programme is designed to identify and scale emerging technologies with genuine defence applications across Allied nations, moving promising capabilities from development into operational relevance at pace. For Slipstream, participation delivered far more than international profile. The programme provided direct access to end users and real-world testing environments, enabling the team to receive operational feedback on ASTRO in the field and compress what would otherwise have been years of product validation into the programme’s six-month timeframe. It also gave the business a significantly clearer understanding of defence procurement channels and how to navigate them effectively – an insight that many innovative SMEs struggle to acquire without the kind of structured, programme-based exposure that DIANA provides.

ASTRO itself is a Wideband Adaptive Radar Processor engineered for seamless integration across radar architectures, with in-mission reconfigurability that makes it highly relevant to the evolving demands of modern sensing and communications environments. Its synchronised converters support multi-channel, multi-module element-level beamforming, making it applicable across advanced radar target generation, communications systems and beyond. The platform’s adaptability is precisely the kind of characteristic that defence customers are increasingly seeking as operational requirements shift rapidly and the ability to reconfigure systems without replacing them becomes a strategic advantage.

Commercial Director Sarah Gregory described the programme as delivering a significant shift in momentum for the business, both in terms of product maturity and strategic alignment with the direction of travel across the defence sector. The £1.5 million in contracts secured during the programme represents tangible commercial validation alongside the technical and operational insights gained.

Established in 2011, Slipstream Design has built its reputation as a development partner to leading communication, aerospace and security companies worldwide, with deep expertise in adaptable digital radio frequency design. Its inclusion in the DIANA cohort positions it firmly within an international network of Allied defence innovators at a time when demand for agile, sovereign electronic systems capability is growing rapidly across NATO member nations.

For the UK defence supply chain

Slipstream’s DIANA journey illustrates a wider truth about the current defence innovation landscape: the pathway from technology development to operational adoption is shortening, and businesses that can engage directly with end users, navigate procurement channels and demonstrate real-world performance are moving faster than those relying on traditional routes to market. For UK SMEs with relevant technology capabilities, programmes such as DIANA, UK Defence Innovation and Commercial X represent genuine accelerants – not just for product development, but for building the relationships and credibility that defence procurement demands.

Image (L-R) Slipstream Design Commercial Director, Sarah Gregory, Managing Director and co-founder, Philip Wilson, and co-founder Dr Mike Roberts