University of Lincoln to Lead £1m AI Defence Project for UK Security
The University of Lincoln has been selected to head a major national research project that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen the UK’s defence and national security.
Backed by a £1 million contract from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the university will lead a consortium of seven UK universities — including Oxford and Cambridge — to explore how AI can support government and military decision-making in high-stakes scenarios such as terrorism, cyberattacks, and other security threats.
According to Deputy Vice Chancellor Julian Free, the project will focus on using AI to enhance wargaming simulations, allowing analysts to better understand both friendly and adversarial strategies.
“It will help us assess our own moves and the enemy’s, leading to smarter, faster decision-making,” Free said.
The research aims to develop advanced AI models capable of analyzing complex, evolving situations — from military conflicts to economic disruptions and environmental crises — and providing real-time recommendations for coordinated national responses.
Professor Fiona Strens, head of Lincoln’s Centre for Defence and Security Artificial Intelligence, said the initiative will adapt AI technologies initially created for Lincolnshire’s food and processing industries.
“We’re redirecting that innovation toward solving defence challenges,” she noted, emphasizing the need to stay ahead in a field advancing at “an incredible pace.”
The University of Lincoln is already deeply embedded in the UK’s AI ecosystem, collaborating with 84 local AI companies, many founded by its graduates. It’s also a key member of The Greater Lincolnshire Regional Defence and Security Cluster and DecisionWorks, initiatives that link academia, industry, and government to drive innovation.
Free added that the project represents a vital step toward building “the intellectual and technological capacity” needed for the UK to confront rapidly evolving global threats.
