KALEAH SALMON

News Editor

Roke has launched Works with Roke, a partner programme focused on defence technology integration in the UK and allied markets.

The scheme gives suppliers, technology partners and systems integrators a formal way to show their products work with Roke systems. Partners that complete the process can use a Works with Roke badge to show their technology has been tested for interoperability.

The framework is intended to make collaboration more visible and repeatable across defence projects. Roke is positioning the programme as a way to reduce reliance on closed architectures and single-vendor systems, which can make upgrades and procurement more difficult.

The launch comes as ministers and defence planners place greater emphasis on industrial cooperation, shared supply chains and faster adoption of new technology. In that context, interoperability has become a more prominent issue for both government buyers and companies trying to bring products into service.

Works with Roke sets out a structured process for technical assessment, joint integration work and validation through live demonstrations. Participation is open to organisations of all sizes, with no fee beyond the time needed to collaborate.

The process formalises the integration work already underway between Roke products and third-party systems. By creating a standard label around that work, the company aims to give partners a clearer way to present compatibility to customers and procurement teams.

Open systems

For defence customers, the issue goes beyond branding. Programmes that combine software, sensors, communications equipment and autonomous systems often rely on products from multiple vendors, and delays can arise when those systems are hard to connect or validate.

Roke says the framework is designed to address those barriers earlier in the development process. Proving integration earlier can lower technical risk and support investment decisions by giving public- and private-sector buyers greater confidence that a combined system will function as intended.

Vendor lock-in has also become a recurring concern in defence procurement, particularly where proprietary systems limit flexibility over upgrades, maintenance and future competition. A structured interoperability process gives suppliers a way to present a more open approach while still working within existing programmes and procurement rules.

Matt Albans, chief technology officer at Roke, linked the launch to practices established in other sectors.

“Other sectors have shown what’s possible when you make collaboration the default. In telecoms, in cloud, in advanced manufacturing, organisations build around shared standards and open ecosystems.”

“Defence hasn’t always worked that way, and it’s holding us back. There has been a new push for diversity and resilience, which means avoiding vendor lock-in. We need to move faster from concept to deployment, and that means working together earlier and more openly. ‘Works with Roke’ is our call to industry to step forward, integrate, collaborate and help deliver capability at pace for the UK and its allies,” Albans said.

Industry response

One of the early voices backing the approach is Overview, whose chief technology officer said the framework reflects a broader shift in engineering priorities across the defence sector.

“Interoperability is no longer a ‘nice to have’ in defence, it’s fundamental to delivering capability at pace and with confidence. Works with Roke builds on existing open standards and provides a practical framework for engineers and architects on both sides to prove integration early, reduce technical risk and avoid closed, proprietary approaches. From a technical leadership perspective, that openness and clarity is exactly what’s needed to accelerate innovation while maintaining robustness and security,” said James Kinsman, chief technology officer at Overview.

The programme also has a supply-chain dimension. Recent defence cooperation agreements between the UK and overseas partners have placed greater emphasis on how companies align development work across borders, particularly as governments seek faster routes from prototype to deployment.

For firms trying to enter that supply chain, a recognised integration mark may offer a simpler way to signal compatibility with an established defence supplier. For larger contractors, it may provide a way to bring in specialist products without relying on bespoke claims about technical fit.

Roke has operated in the UK defence and national security market for decades and is part of Chemring Group. Its work spans cybersecurity, communications, sensors, robotics, and autonomous systems, placing it across several parts of the defence technology stack where interoperability issues often emerge.

Successful integrations under the new programme will be validated through live demonstrations, after which participating organisations can display the Works with Roke badge on their products and marketing materials.

The Burnside Partnership, based in Combe, has launched the service to support clients with interests in Spain, including property ownership and residency visas.

The Spanish Desk follows the appointment of Yolanda Pérez Berges, a bilingual lawyer with more than 17 years of experience in both the UK and Spain.

She is registered with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority and the Madrid Bar Association.

Ms Pérez Berges said: “I’m delighted to have joined The Burnside Partnership as it expands its international services – particularly within Europe.

“I can help bridge the two jurisdictions and support clients with cross-border interests in a joined-up, practical way.”

The new desk will provide guidance on cross-border estate planning, tax matters, probate, property transactions, residency visas, and cross-border family matters.

Della Burnside, managing partner, said: “Spain has become a key destination for our clients, and the launch of our dedicated Spanish Desk is a natural next step.

“With Yolanda joining the firm, we can offer a seamless service to those who need cross-border Anglo-Spanish advice.

“We are delighted to welcome Yolanda and to further strengthen our international expertise.”

The Burnside Partnership, which also has offices in Marlow, London, was founded in 2015 by Oxford lawyer Anna Burnside.

Most UK consumers oppose the use of dynamic pricing in consumer goods, according to a survey of 2,000 adults by HyperFinity.

The research found that 65% of shoppers dislike dynamic pricing, including 33% who said they hate the idea. Only 4% said they love it, while 91% said clear and transparent pricing matters to them.

Price and fairness also ranked highly. The survey found that 88% of respondents want the best possible price, while 82% value fairness and want everyone to pay the same price.

The results point to resistance to pricing models that have become more common in sectors such as travel and ticketing, where prices can shift according to demand, timing or other factors.

Thomas Hill, co-founder of HyperFinity, said the strength of consumer opposition makes a broader move into groceries and other everyday retail categories unlikely in the near term.

“Dynamic pricing is not coming to consumer goods or grocery for the foreseeable future,” Hill said. “Supermarkets understand the risk of backlash from prices that change with the weather or other factors. Core staples such as bread, milk and cheese are tied to customer needs, not demand elasticity. Any perception of exploiting that would be catastrophic for trust and loyalty.”

The study also highlighted differences by age and location. Londoners and younger shoppers were more open to dynamic pricing than the wider population, though support still fell short of a majority.

In London, 37% of respondents said they like dynamic pricing, while 51% said they dislike it. Among consumers aged 18 to 34, 41% expressed some level of support, compared with 6% of those aged over 55.

Even among younger adults, however, scepticism outweighed support. In the 18 to 34 age group, 46% still said they dislike dynamic pricing.

Retail divide

A separate snapshot poll of more than 40 retail leaders suggested a gap between what executives think drives loyalty and what consumers say matters most. While 88% of consumers said price is important to loyalty, only 13% of retail leaders agreed.

Most retail leaders placed greater emphasis on other factors. The poll found that 81% prioritised brand and experience, 56% pointed to offers and discounts, and 50% cited product.

The contrast suggests retailers may be placing less weight on value and pricing clarity than their customers do. The findings come as households remain sensitive to living costs and retailers look for ways to retain repeat shoppers.

Hill said some leadership teams may be misreading what matters most to consumers when designing loyalty strategies.

“Retailers may be overestimating the role of brand and experience, and underestimating the continued power of price, particularly during this time of continued economic uncertainty,” he said. “Consumers are telling retailers loud and clear that fairness and clarity come first. If leadership teams don’t recalibrate around that, they risk building loyalty strategies on the wrong foundations.”

For retailers, the findings point to a tension between margin management and customer trust. Dynamic pricing can help businesses respond to changes in demand, but consumer goods differ from event tickets or hotel rooms because they are regular household purchases that shoppers expect to be stable and easy to compare.

That matters especially in categories such as food and everyday essentials, where consumers often make quick decisions based on habit, promotions and price memory. Frequent or opaque price changes risk making those choices harder to assess and could fuel a sense of unequal treatment.

The survey suggests predictable pricing still carries more weight with British consumers than flexible pricing models. With only a small minority saying they welcome dynamic pricing, the clearest signal in the data is demand for clarity, fairness and consistent pricing on everyday goods.