A major new drone production factory is set to open in Swindon,
creating 1,000 high-skilled British jobs and boosting sovereign
manufacturing as the Government delivers the Plan for
Change.
The new factory, operated by Tekever, will be announced by the
Defence Secretary , on a visit to the site today.
The factory is expected to open in 2026 and will position Swindon
as a centre for UK drone manufacturing, creating skilled jobs and
apprenticeships and showing the defence dividend of the
Government's record defence spending uplift.
Swindon has strong historical ties to defence, helping to produce
the Supermarine Spitfire in World War Two. This new
site will now bring large-scale production of Tekever platforms
to the UK — including the Royal Air Force's StormShroud
capability.
This comes as figures show government investment in UK defence
industries reached £31.7 billion last year and follows the launch
of the Defence Industrial Strategy, which will make defence an
engine for growth, ensuring investment is felt by communities
across the UK through new jobs and rising incomes for working
people, putting more money in their pockets.
In May, the Prime Minister announced an additional £19
million of investment by the Royal Air Force into Tekever's AR3
StormShroud drones, underlining government support for home‑grown
defence technology. Since the start of Russia's full-scale
invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK has purchased approximately
£270 million of Tekever drones to provide to Ukraine, including
contributions from international partners through the
UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine. These drones have
been used extensively in destroying highly advanced Russian air
defence systems.
Defence Secretary MP said:
This new factory is a clear demonstration that this government is
making defence an engine for growth across the UK.
Tekever's expansion will bring high-skilled jobs and
world-leading drone manufacturing to Swindon, while strengthening
defence supply chains.
By backing Britain's defence industry, we strengthen both our
economy and national security.
Tekever's new facility will be its fourth location in the UK and
largest to date.
The 254,000 square foot site will support the full drone
production lifecycle – from rapid prototyping to manufacturing
and research and development.
It will bring core production of the AR5 unmanned aerial system
to the UK for the first time, while scaling up existing work on
the AR3 platform.
This builds upon the acquisition of West Wales Airport and marks
a critical next step in the delivery of Tekever's Strategic
Investment Programme OVERMATCH, that is designed to transform
UK's defence capabilities by accelerating innovation in AI and
autonomy.
Tekever's arrival to Swindon aligns with the government's broader
economic strategy to foster high-tech hubs, drive inclusive
growth and unlock new opportunities for local talent and supply
chains.
Karl Brew, Director of Tekever Defence, said:
Our decision to establish a new facility in Swindon reflects
Tekever's commitment to the UK and to the ambitions of the £400
million Overmatch programme.
The site will play a central role in the production of our new
AR3 EVO system and in creating up to 1,000 highly skilled jobs
over the next five years.
This investment will ensure we deliver advanced, sovereign
capability at pace and in close partnership with the UK defence
ecosystem.
