QinetiQ, the defence research company spun off from the Ministry of Defence, will sell several noncore businesses in the new year to put more capital into security and counter-terrorism.

Graham Love, the chief executive, said that the disposals would raise tens of millions of pounds and that other defence companies were the most likely buyers. “We are selling those assets where we can’t hope to be a significant international player, but this tactic is about realising cash for future investment and is not about downsizing the business,” he said.

QinetiQ said yesterday that it was well placed to benefit from public spending on defence, despite budget pressures on the Ministry of Defence with the Treasury being forced to find unprecedented sums of public money to bail out the banks and stimulate the economy.

“Ministers have made it clear that it is their priority to support the troops in active operations. That is where we are positioned,” Mr Love said.

The incoming administration of Barack Obama is also expected to be favourable to QinetiQ, given that its priority is to finish the campaign in Afghanistan. America has awarded QinetiQ some large orders for technology and robots that are in use there.

Mr Love said that the company enjoyed a particularly strong performance in North America in the six months to September 30, where it achieved 19 per cent revenue growth. “We remain well placed in areas expected to be key priorities of the new US administration and expect continued double-digit growth in QNA into the medium term,” he said.

One of the stars of QinetiQ’s portfolio has been its North American technology solutions business, which has shipped 2,500 Talon robots for use by British and American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In the six-month period, growth at the division rose by almost 25 per cent, reflecting continued demand for Talon robots.

The company was meeting a $400 million (£260 million) contract with the US military to carry on supplying the robots during the period.

The family of robots is evolving and QinetiQ has shipped the first safety-certified armed robotic land vehicle, known as MAARS (Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System) in the past six months.

It has also developed a rugged, light, portable unit known as Dragon Runner, which can be used in urban environments and carried in a back-pack into difficult terrain. America is expected to place orders for the device as soon as next month.

Bob Quinn, vice-president of Talon operations at QinetiQ, said that Dragon Runner, a prototype of which was first used to clear debris at the site of the World Trade Centre, has been improved and developed with input from soldiers in the field.

“Afghanistan has an estimated 100 million antitank and antipersonnel mines and there’s a real need to get our soldiers out of the minefields and use robots,” he said. “This is a compelling solution to the difficult terrain in Afghanistan. Every time Dragon Runner takes a hit, at least one soldier or Marine was kept from harm.”

The Dragon Runner was designed for mine clearance and the safe disposal of explosive ordnance, but it has considerable reconnaissance potential. After being thrown into a building it can send back video footage before soldiers enter, and it can be used in sewers, drainpipes, caves and courtyards to spot motion and overhear conversations.

The all-seeing, all-listening Dragon Runner can travel at up to 20mph, even over rough terrain. It is controlled by a soldier using a laptop as far away as 800 metres.

The defence company reported pretax profit growth up 41.3 per cent to £36.6 million in the six months on revenue up 13.9 per cent to £727.4 million. Orders rose 31.4 per cent to £777.9 million. Its contracted and funded backlog is now a fifth bigger at £1.2 billion.

The company said that it would increase the interim dividend by 12.8 per cent and looked forward to the remainder of the year with confidence, given its solid order backlog. Its shares closed down 9½p at 165p.

Clive Forestier-Walker, of Numis Securities, said: “We continue to regard QinetiQ as a very safe haven . . . this is the third occasion that [the company] has exceeded expectations.”

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