Security & Defence Electronics Manufacturing

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Market segment · Security and Defence

Defence electronics
you can trust

NOTE in the UK manufactures defence electronics through STI, a NOTE company, at Hook and Poynton: around 300 defence electronics specialists across two AS9100-certified List X sites, from prototype to long-lifecycle support.

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Watch the line in action

AS9100 · ISO 27001 · List X (STI Hook and Poynton) · IPC-A-610 Class 3

Security cameras mounted on a pole in front of a perimeter fence

2

List X
defence sites

c.300

Defence electronics
specialists

£31.9bn

MOD spend with
UK industry

3.5%

Of GDP on core
defence by 2035

Sources: Ministry of Defence, MOD regional expenditure with industry 2024/25; UK Government national security spending commitment, June 2025.

What we build

Electronics across
four domains

NOTE’s acquisition of STI created one of the most significant defence electronics manufacturing operations in the UK. STI, a NOTE company, brings around 300 staff across two dedicated defence sites at Hook and Poynton, manufacturing specialist electronics for prime contractors and the MOD, with a programme history spanning decades. STI works across the air, land, cyber and marine domains. Hook and Poynton hold List X status and are certified to AS9100 and ISO 27001, and we build to IPC Class 3 workmanship standards. These certifications apply to Hook and Poynton only. Behind STI sits NOTE in the UK’s group of six sites in Windsor, Haddenham, Basildon, Wolverhampton, Hook and Poynton, with the scale to support defence customers from prototype through to long-lifecycle support and after-sales.

Air
systems

PCBA and box build for avionics, airborne systems and UAV electronics, with AS9100-certified processes.

Land
systems

Vehicle electronics, soldier systems and ground platform hardware, built for field maintainability.

Cyber and secure
communications

Secure communications hardware and network security electronics, built in security-cleared facilities.

Marine
systems

Naval and maritime electronics built to withstand salt, humidity and demanding duty cycles.

Thermal and
surveillance cameras

Camera and imaging electronics for defence and security applications.

Motion
detection

Motion detection electronics for security and perimeter systems.

Access control
electronics

Access control electronics, where build quality and traceability matter.

Mission-critical
PCBA

IPC Class 3 PCBA for UK defence and security programmes.

Why prime contractors and OEMs come to us

What brings defence
customers to NOTE

01

Audit-ready
from day one

AS9100, ISO 27001 and List X at STI Hook and Poynton, with IPC Class 3 workmanship, so supplier qualification starts from a strong base.

02

Security-cleared
facilities

Classified programmes are built at our List X sites, STI Hook and Poynton, with controlled access and ISO 27001-certified information security management.

03

Support for the
full programme life

Component obsolescence management, repair support and programme continuity for the full operational life of your platform.

04

Ready for rising
defence demand

UK spending on core defence is set to reach 3.5% of GDP by 2035. Two dedicated defence sites, backed by four more NOTE sites in the UK, give you a partner that can grow with your programme.

How we manufacture

How NOTE builds
defence electronics

Defence manufacturing is delivered through STI, a NOTE company, at Hook and Poynton, which hold AS9100, ISO 27001 and List X status. All six UK sites hold ISO 9001, and assemblies are built to IPC-A-610 Class 3.

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01

IPC Class 3
workmanship

PCBA and box build to IPC Class 3, the highest workmanship standard for electronic assemblies.

02

AS9100 quality
management

AS9100-certified processes at STI Hook and Poynton, the quality standard for aerospace and defence.

03

Secure
manufacturing

List X status and ISO 27001 information security at Hook and Poynton, with access control built into how we work.

04

Long-lifecycle
support

Obsolescence management and repair support, so platforms stay in service for their full operational life.

deep blue background right

Inside NOTE: Security and Defence · 1:35

See it on the line

Built to last,
built to protect

A short look at defence and security electronics at NOTE, from the domains our customers work in to the people and lines that build for them.

  • Where it ends up: air, land, cyber and marine
  • Inspection and test by our teams
  • Automated PCB assembly
  • Durability, confidentiality and support
Talk to our team about your build

What Our Customers Say

  • Trusted Defence Programmes

    NOTE in the UK delivers the programme discipline, robust security infrastructure and IPC Class 3 workmanship that defence electronics demands. AS9100-certified manufacturing across Hook and Poynton gives us confidence our most critical programmes are in safe hands.
    Programme Director,
    UK Defence Prime Contractor

  • UK Defence Supply Chain

    NOTE’s deep grasp of long-lifecycle defence sets them apart. From component obsolescence management through to depot-level repair support, their programme continuity capability means we can always rely on them across the full operational life of our most demanding platforms.
    Head of Engineering,
    UK Defence OEM

  • Built for Defence

    Qualifying a new EMS partner takes years. NOTE in the UK and STI NOTE arrived audit-ready: AS9100, List X, IPC Class 3 and ISO 27001 in place. Their UK sites have domain knowledge across air, land, cyber and marine, and a workforce that understands defence programme security from day one.
    Head of Supplier Quality,
    UK Defence Systems Integrator

One partner, end to end

Where we support your
defence programme

DEVELOPMENTPRODUCTIONAFTER-SALES INTRODUCTIONGROWTHMATURITYDECLINEMAINTENANCE

01 Development

Design support, DFM reviews and component selection, so your board is ready to build from day one.

Explore Development →

Next steps

Starting a project
with NOTE

1

Send us your
brief

Share your drawings, BOM or just the problem you are trying to solve.

2

Review
and quote

Our engineers check your design for manufacturability and come back with a quote.

3

First
prototypes

We build your first prototypes so you can test before committing to volume.

Request a quote

Frequently asked questions
Security and Defence

A: We manufacture encrypted communication hardware, secure network products, thermal and surveillance cameras, motion detection systems, access control electronics and mission-critical PCBA for UK defence and security programmes, built to IPC Class 3 workmanship standards.

A: Yes, at two sites. STI, a NOTE company, holds AS9100 at Hook and Poynton, where our defence manufacturing is delivered. Our other UK sites, Windsor, Haddenham, Basildon and Wolverhampton, are not AS9100 certified. We serve the air, land, cyber and marine domains with IPC Class 3 PCBA and complex system integration.

A: Yes. NOTE’s defence manufacturing is delivered through STI, a NOTE company. Its Hook and Poynton sites hold List X status and are certified to ISO 27001 for information security management, so classified programmes are built in security-cleared facilities with controlled access.

A: Defence manufacturing is delivered through STI, a NOTE company, at Hook and Poynton. Both hold List X status and are certified to AS9100 and ISO 27001. All six UK sites, Windsor, Haddenham, Basildon, Wolverhampton, Hook and Poynton, hold ISO 9001, so programmes can draw on wider NOTE capacity where security requirements allow.

A: Defence platforms often stay in service for many years. We provide component obsolescence management, last-time-buy planning, approved alternative sourcing, controlled engineering change and repair support, so your platform stays supported throughout its operational life.

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