Metrea Mission Data (MMD) are Metrea’s Lincoln-based software and data experts, solving complex data challenges by employing innovative, cutting-edge software techniques and predictive analytics.

Former Managing Director at MMD, Chris Jones, talks to us about how innovation and adaptation in the defence and security sector are accelerating growth for smaller companies and broader supply chains right across Greater Lincolnshire – a region at the heart of the UK’s defence heritage.   

“For me, innovation is the creation of value from novelty,” reflects Chris, “and there is no doubt that innovation is the buzzword of the day. But in an era of continuous technology driven invention and reinvention, I often wonder whether there is anything truly novel left for defence and security. At Metrea we talk much more about adaptation as the creative development approach that smaller businesses require.” 

Adaptation and innovation are the lifeblood of MMD, with connections and interactions across the Lincolnshire region fuelling the engine that keeps the business racing forward. The defence and security sector in our region is strongly focused on the digital technologies that underpin information and intelligence solutions, relying on data collection, processing, analysis, security, and exploitation. This is MMD’s area of expertise.  

On adaptation, Chris says: “Defence has traditionally been a hotbed for research and development against truly wicked problems that are made more compelling by a national security context, and much of that has been based on ideas from elsewhere. This might lead to new ways to protect information or faster methodologies for pushing data around secure networks or more complex algorithms for predictive pattern analysis. The difference in defence is often just the need to spin the test and development cycles faster than elsewhere to get after time-sensitive solutions.” 

Defence is a great recycler of ideas from other sectors as well as a provider of the new and novel in return. The classic example, and highly relevant in Lincolnshire, is of course the tank, which started out its life as an agricultural vehicle. More recently, additive manufacturing (3D-printing), semi-conductors, graphene and cyber and battery technologies have all transformed military capability, having first been born into civilian commercial applications.  And historically, defence research and development has given the world many useful technologies from jet engines, rubber tyres, microwave ovens and drones to canned food.   

The defence and security sector in Greater Lincolnshire offers huge advantages to adaptation and innovation which this civil-military or dual-use technology transfer offers, particularly through collaboration with the other LEP game-changing sectors: the Humber Freeport, UK Food Valley, and green energy. 

“It’s certainly the fashion to recycle these days and to make new from old.  So, the concept of taking the bones of a technology or product or service that has been developed to meet one set of requirements and adapting it for something else has merit, particularly when you consider how much more quickly and more cost effectively the new solution may be arrived at. 

“Take away the sensitivities of what the data might be used for in defence and security and the challenges of capturing, handling, and processing the raw digital packets of information are just the same as in agriculture and logistics and the control systems for power generation and storage,” said Chris.

“Growth through innovation and adaptation can be accelerated through the sharing of ideas and technology across the game changing sectors in the LEP.” 

A great example is MMD’s work on Space Domain Awareness projects – a priority focus for the nation and the company. SDA is the study and monitoring of satellites orbiting the Earth and involves the detection, tracking, cataloguing, and identification of artificial objects, such as active or inactive satellites, spent rocket bodies, or fragmentation debris. Effective SDA is critical for ensuring the safe and efficient use of space, protecting assets in orbit and on Earth, and advancing our understanding of the universe. 

“The UK space sector is of particular importance,” explains Chris. “Traditional surveillance and observation of the heavily congested Low Earth Orbit regime requires expensive static infrastructure, which is constrained by geographical limitations, and is easy to predict by adversaries. With nations actively developing and employing capabilities to disrupt space systems, the requirement for novel, agile, and networked Space Domain Awareness capabilities to monitor and protect these high value assets is clear.” 

In response to the global SDA challenge, MMD has successfully developed a unique and adaptive software capability called LASSO - Low Earth Orbit Airborne Space Surveillance Operations. Through smart software, LASSO takes traditional look-down airborne cameras and enables them to look up into Low Earth Orbit to provide valuable imagery and intelligence on satellites and other space objects. This technology secured a place for MMD on the US Air Force Research Labs Catalyst Accelerator Programme for International SDA, providing the company with a unique opportunity to work with a wide range of technology companies, market analysts, commercial advisors, and operators to inform the capability development roadmap for both the defence and commercial space sectors. 

Being at the centre of a region with such strong links to defence and security has given MMD a real leg-up in the partnerships that feed business growth. With their offices located on the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park, MMD finds that collaborative projects can be managed within buildings or across car parks, rather than over hundreds of miles, and a close relationship with the University of Lincoln helps to access the computer science talent that comes into the skills pool.  

“We really can keep it local,” says Chris.  

“A regional interface with the UK Government’s Defence and Security Accelerator builds on the point-to-point dealings that MMD has with innovation funding and proximity to the military customer and regular engagement with their challenges and requirements keeps our R&D projects sharply in focus.  Using University of Lincoln graduate engineers and the roof of an LSIP building in the early stages as a test platform, we’ve been able to accelerate concept development to MVP stage far more quickly than envisaged.” 

Similar rapid adaptation has also benefited the RAF, with MMD supporting Draken International and the Ministry of Defence’s Future Capabilities Group to demonstrate exciting new airborne communications and tactical data exploitation capabilities. 

“Success for smaller companies like MMD depends upon development momentum and the support of innovation sponsors. What we are not short of is the enthusiasm and energy, but translating that into commercially viable products and services requires the help and support of government sponsors, users, technology partners and investors. Having the idea in the first place is not enough; being able to scale and exploit your development is the key to success.”             

Helping business to overcome the barriers that can stifle or slow the new and novel can be a tremendous enabling service, and the recently launched Greater Lincolnshire Defence & Security Network (GLDSN), and nascent Regional Defence & Security Cluster (RDSC) can open up access and opportunities.  

“Small businesses need to ensure that hard-earned investment is targeted in the right areas. Access to often hard-to-reach capability users and sponsors can ensure they stay on track. 

“Less well-placed companies may need help facilitating that access or getting the right security accreditations to work on defence projects or being connected to the facilities and data sources where new development can take place. Or it might be they just need advice on the export controls and regulatory environment in which technology can be developed. 

“Most vital is understanding who else is working on what and where collaboration might accelerate the adaptation timeline and spread the cost of developing the new and novel. These are just the type of coordinating activities, networks, and communications that LEP initiatives like the GLDSN are putting in place.  

“In short, we are the creators of novel ideas, approaches, and applications – the innovators. We are embracing the challenge of adapting and applying existing technologies and approaches to new problems and exploitation pathways. The great news for everyone is that these adaptive solutions often offer better value than striving to create something truly new – proving that small businesses can truly punch above their weight. And Lincolnshire is a great place for MMD and other small businesses to do just that.”  

The Greater Lincolnshire LEP is driving a Defence & Security Network to build a significant local cluster capable of bidding into the Defence & Security Accelerator (DASA) and the MOD.  To find out more or to get involved visit the https://www.greaterlincolnshiredsn.com/ or contact James.Baty@lincolnshire.gov.uk or JFree@Lincoln.ac.uk with queries.