National security capabilities for the future

Anyone driving by AWE’s Aldermaston or Burghfield sites could be excused for wondering what on earth goes on behind the high, barbed wire fences, in buildings which often look like they have been constructed in the 1950s.

In reality, what occurs behind those fences is some of the most extraordinary feats of engineering in the country, critical to our national security.

Protecting the nation

For more than 70 years, AWE’s mission has been to support the defence and security of the United Kingdom (UK). We do this through developing, manufacturing and maintaining the warheads for the UK’s nuclear deterrent, as well as providing our unique skills and expertise to support counter terrorism and nuclear threat reduction activities.

We are extremely proud of our heritage, but are also entirely focused on ensuring that AWE, our capabilities, and our people are fit to support the Ministry of Defence, the British Government, and our citizens for the next 70 years and beyond. 

A once-in-a-generation programme

We are currently transforming our business to deliver a once-in-a-generation programme to design and produce a replacement warhead for the UK’s Continuous at Sea Deterrent. We must achieve this while sustaining the current warhead until it is withdrawn from service.

A key part of this transformation is modernising the way we work; from our processes and systems, to the site footprint and skyline, creating an environment that will attract, develop and retain the next generation of talent. 

New infrastructure 

Our transformation also involves managing a multi-billion-pound, multi-year infrastructure and capability programme that is unprecedented in its scale and complexity. 

We are delivering a cutting-edge, sustainable environment for the future, with state-of-the-art capital and construction projects – some of which have never been done before – as well as effectively maintaining an estate that spans over 1,000 acres and with many unique buildings.

Engineering with real-world application 

All of this means that AWE is about to become one of the most exciting places to be if you’re an engineer. The work we do is challenging, yet extraordinary and has real-world impact. 

Our engineering teams support a wide range of activities – warhead engineering, nuclear forensics capabilities that recreate the design of a weapon post-detonation, and state-of-the-art 3D virtual imagery to visualise complex engineering behaviours and characteristics – to name just a few. Our engineers also use sophisticated computer simulations to observe how complex and often intricate components perform under high mechanical and thermal stresses.

A campus for science

When you drive past AWE in the future, there will be little evidence of the old 1950s buildings. Instead, you will see a vibrant manufacturing and science campus offering truly exciting engineering opportunities, working at the cutting edge of technology.

If you want to find out more, we will be hosting a webinar with IMechE in January 2024 – please look out for further details.

Visit awe.co.uk to find out more about our organisation, see what our employees say it is like to work here, view our current vacancies and read about the benefits associated with us.