The Department told us that the whole point of the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) was to provide genuinely long-term demand signals so that industry, both large and small companies, can invest in preparation. It said that this was vital to foster a better investment climate, attract companies into the UK, boost exports, and, above all, partner with them for the long term.28 In particular, the Department is looking to stimulate its relationships with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. This includes driving UK innovations through investing earlier and being more of a development partner with innovative UK companies.29