- UK delivers over 85,000 military drones to Ukraine in six
months.
- Defence Secretary extends UK contribution to Eastern Sentry
to end of 2025 and deploys military counter-drone experts to
Moldova.
- Defence Secretary convenes latest Ukraine Defence Contact
Group to increase pressure on Putin, with over 50 nations
attending including US Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO Secretary
General Mark Rutte.
More than 85,000 military drones have been delivered by the UK to
Ukraine in just six months this year by accelerating production
from British companies and supporting jobs in both countries, the
Defence Secretary will confirm in Brussels today as he co-hosts
with Germany the latest meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact
Group.
It comes as Defence Secretary confirms, for the first time,
that £600 million has been invested by the UK this year to
accelerate drone delivery for Ukraine's Armed Forces, including
tens of thousands of short-range first-person view (FPV) drones
that are crucial to supporting Ukraine's front line.
These drones are being used for precision strikes,
reconnaissance, and disrupting Russian activity behind the
frontlines, countering Russia's own attempts at massed drone
tactics.
The Defence Secretary will say to allies that we need to “ramp up
drone production to outmatch Putin's escalation” following
increased drone strikes in Ukraine and dangerous incursions into
Europe.
National security is the foundation of this Government's Plan for
Change, and the UK is stepping up on Euro-Atlantic security,
underpinned by the historic increase to defence spending to 2.6%
of GDP from 2027.
Last month in Kyiv, the Defence Secretary and his Ukrainian
counterpart Denys Shmyhal signed a first-of-its-kind industrial
partnership through which the UK is jointly developing an
inceptor drone already been used by Ukraine to protect civilians
and critical infrastructure from Russian drones.
New data from the Ukrainian battlefield is now being implemented
to help mass produce the Octopus interceptor, with a target to
provide thousands of new-improved interceptor drones back into
Ukraine each month.
Defence Secretary, MP, said:
“Putin's dangerous escalation in Ukraine and across Europe must
be matched by ramping up our drone production and strengthening
NATO's air defences.
“The UK is stepping up our support to Ukraine by delivering over
85,000 drones in the last six months and signing new industrial
partnerships to rapidly develop thousands of new interceptor
drones to shoot down Putin's attacks. This is growing jobs in
both the UK and Ukraine.
“I am also extending the UK's commitment to NATO's Eastern Sentry
air policing mission to the end of the year to continue to deter
Putin from further testing the Alliance.”
The Defence Secretary will also attend a meeting of NATO's
Defence Ministers, where he is expected to confirm the extension
of the Royal Air Force's contribution to NATO's Eastern Sentry
mission to the end of 2025. British Typhoon fighter jets have
been taking part in defensive flights over Polish airspace
following dangerous Russian drone incursions.
An upcoming deployment of British military counter-drone experts
to Moldova will also be confirmed, where they will help train
Moldova's armed forces in counter drone tactics.
In total, the UK has spent £600 million this year on military
drones for Ukraine – drawn from the record £4.5 billion
commitment by the government this year to support Ukraine's
defence. This includes logistical drones for transporting
equipment to the frontline, one-way attack drones, as well as
surveillance and reconnaissance drones.
Significant amounts of this spend is with UK companies,
supporting hundreds of specialist jobs around the country from
suppliers including Tekever, Windracer, and Malloy.
The Drone Capability Coalition, which the UK co-leads with
Latvia, is also using funding from a range of nations to procure
advanced drone-interceptors to help Ukraine counter the threat of
the Iranian-designed Shahed one-way attack drones.
Interceptors are being tested on the battlefield right now, with
the Drone Capability Coalition expected to award new contracts
very soon to provide Ukraine with further kit, including around
35,000 new interceptor systems in the coming months.
Both the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary have been clear
that the UK's national security – the foundation of the
Government's Plan for Change – starts in Ukraine.
