The UK Ministry of Defence spent £282 million on Palantir over a decade ending March 2026, £186 million more than the £95.9 million in publicly listed contracts. Analysis of official documents reveals the actual spending figure, which is nearly triple the disclosed amount. Much of this expenditure occurred under non-competitive procurement processes, with over 80 percent of the total paid under contracts not put out to tender.
The findings fuel concerns about the UK's reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly Palantir, which has faced scrutiny for its links to the US defence sector. In December, the MoD announced a three-year £240.6 million contract with Palantir that bypassed competitive tendering. Labour MP Dame Chi Onwurah criticized the lack of transparency, stating the difficulty in knowing ministry spending "fails the transparency, accountability and therefore the public trust test." The ministry justified the non-competitive award by stating only Palantir has the necessary design familiarity and technical expertise to support its data analytics capabilities.
The US company is among several groups securing large ministry contracts without tender, including Boeing, which secured a direct award worth up to £354 million.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing