Unipart, KBR and IBM launch Team ORION to future-proof defence operations
OXFORD, United Kingdom, July 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unipart, KBR and IBM have today announced the launch of Team ORION to provide unparalleled operational resilience, world-class logistics, and future-ready technology to the UK Ministry of Defence.
Inspired by the historic constellation that has guided navigators and militaries for centuries, Team ORION represents an alignment of three industry leaders working together with absolute clarity and purpose.
By combining strengths, Team ORION establishes a single, joined-up operation capable of solving the most complex challenges facing the modern defence landscape:
- Unipart: World-leading supply chain, advanced manufacturing, and operational logistics expertise, built on 50 years of British heritage.
- KBR: Deep defence pedigree, global infrastructure capability, and trusted strategic execution.
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IBM: Future-ready, innovative and resilient technology, digital, and data frameworks.
Together, Team ORION creates a sovereign capability greater than the sum of its parts projecting a collective identity anchored in national service, institutional trust, and long-term delivery confidence.
You can join Team ORION at Farnborough International Airshow 2026 on Tuesday 21st July at 1600, at the Aerospace Global News theatre where the team will be discussing defence logistics, infrastructure and digital enablement.
Leadership Insights
Jim Hartshorne, Managing Director, Commercial at Unipart
"Team ORION represents a pivotal shift from what our individual businesses have accomplished to how we will collectively deliver mission-critical support better than the rest. Unipart’s established history in executing high-stakes operational transitions, proves we know how to handle complex, zero-fail environments.
By uniting our deep commercial logistics expertise with the domain-specific pedigree of KBR and the digital innovation of IBM, we are providing the MoD with a sovereign, resilient partner capable of securing UK supply chains against global crises."
Paul O’Shaughnessey, Vice President, Defence Nuclear Technology Solutions, KBR
“Team ORION brings together three organisations with a strong proven and extensive track record of delivery in complex and critical environments. This team is about how we operate as one team to deliver consistent, reliable outcomes from day one.
By aligning defence experience, logistics expertise and digital capability from the outset, we are creating a joined-up approach that reduces risk, improves performance and enables faster, better-informed decision making to supports long-term value for the MOD. Team ORION is built to deliver at scale, at pace and with confidence proven certainty.”
About Team ORION
Team ORION brings together the combined experience and capabilities of KBR, Unipart and IBM. This team creates a joined-up approach to operational delivery, underpinned by resilience, scalability and long-term performance.
- Unipart contributes world-class manufacturing, sovereign supply chain and proven logistics expertise
- KBR brings deep defence experience, and trusted complex strategic programme, procurement and operational delivery
- IBM provides advanced, innovative and resilient digital, data and technology capability
Together, Team ORION provides a coherent, sovereign capability designed to support mission-critical outcomes and strengthen UK defence resilience, at scale and at pace.
About Unipart
Unipart is a supply chain performance improvement partner that designs, makes, moves, and improves components in its customers’ supply chains, keeping their operations and assets moving and working better, for longer. Unipart’s more than 8,000 employees serve customers in multiple sectors, including automotive, rail, technology, defence, aerospace, industrials, consumer, retail and ecommerce.
As a £1bn turnover Great British private company with operations at 101 sites in 22 countries, Unipart has been headquartered in Oxford, UK, for more than 50 years. The company's ambition is to be the driving force behind efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.
Visit unipart.com.
Media Contact: Orlagh Horgan, Head of Corporate Brand orlagh.horgan@unipart.com +44 (0) 7468 353 617
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