The University of Sheffield has received almost £100m from companies that manufacture weapons since 2012

A Freedom of Information request, submitted by a former student, asked for the recent figures from a wide range of companies including Rolls Royce, Boeing and BAE Systems.

It shows that research investment in the university from such companies is much higher than the previously reported  £72 million in the decade since 2012.

The data, now publicly available but first seen by Now Then, shows that over half of the money since 2012 has come from Rolls Royce (£53m).

The arms industry referred to, and its business with the university, is entirely legal and there is no suggestion of legal wrongdoing.

There are 14 companies listed that make up the £98.3m total investment shown in the data.

According to Lockheed Martin, which is the prime contractor for the F-35 fighter jet, UK companies will supply 15% of every one of the jets produced.

BAE Systems, who have invested £12.5m in the University of Sheffield since 2012/13, play a “major role” in producing and developing F-35s.

These jets have been used by the Israeli military in Gaza.

Members of the Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine (SCCP), which calls on the university to sever ties with companies involved in arms, recently set up a second protest camp in Weston Park for the university’s Freshers Week.

Their first camp, outside the Student’s Union, was in place for 93 days before it was removed following a possession order submitted by the University of Sheffield.

On Monday, a group of people believed to be from SCCP and People and Planet Sheffield aimed to block entry to the university’s careers fair.

They told the BBC their protest was to raise awareness about businesses involved in the arms trade, fossil fuels and mining companies.

A spokesperson from the University of Sheffield, said: "The FOI request asked about research and innovation partnerships between the University of Sheffield and aerospace, engineering and energy companies.

“The University partnerships with these companies are mainly focused on contributing to improved manufacturing processes and materials that boost productivity and sustainability.

“They also support our regional and national economy and have resulted in hundreds of high-skilled jobs being created in Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

“Some examples of our current projects are COMPASS (Composites at Speed and Scale) – one of Boeing’s largest ever research projects designed to build lightweight wings for more sustainable aeroplanes.

“The Sustainable Aviation Fuels Innovation Centre is researching how to make aeroplane fuels more sustainable. Boeing is a founding member of this research centre.

“Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) with Rolls Royce SMR researches technology that could support the UK’s transition to clean energy."