An unprecedented attempt by the intelligence community to provide a wish list of anti-terror technology to defence manufacturers has been heralded as a “huge step forward” by industry.

Companies such as BAE Systems, Qinetiq and Smiths Industries have been lobbying the government for years to provide clarity on where they should invest research and development budgets for homeland security, while the intelligence services have bemoaned the fact that large military contractors have failed to grasp their particular needs.