- Defence Secretary MP opens Europe's biggest
drone testing centre in Swindon, learning lessons from the
Ukraine and Iran conflicts.
- Uncrewed Systems Centre, based at new DroneTEX facility, will
keep Armed Forces at edge of innovation, rapidly developing and
fielding capabilities in weeks, not years.
- Centre will support small British businesses, unlock exports
and create jobs as part of largest sustained defence spending
boost since the Cold War.
Britain's Armed Forces will be strengthened with the latest drone
technology after the Defence Secretary opened Europe's largest
drone centre in Swindon today.
As the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine show, drones are
rapidly reshaping warfare, with cheap systems destroying high
value targets and innovation cycles measured in weeks, not
years. Ukraine uses roughly 200,000 drones a month
and there were 700 drones launched per day at the height of
conflict in Iran.
The new Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC), based at the DroneTEX
facility in Swindon, will help the UK's Armed Forces stay at the
leading edge of innovation and take advantage of constantly
evolving technologies.
It will be the UK's focal point for the development and
testing of the latest drone technology and drive collaboration
with industry, allies and partners. At
545,000 sq ft, DroneTEX is the size of more than
10 football pitches and will
rapidly develop and field
new capabilities.
The Defence Secretary MP met defence industry
leaders, investors and military
specialists as he toured the facility today.
At the opening of the USC,
Defence Secretary MP said:
"The character of warfare is changing, and it is changing fast.
From Ukraine to the Middle East, we are seeing right now how
uncrewed systems are rapidly evolving and reshaping conflicts on
land, in the air and at sea
Our new DroneTEX facility at the heart of our Uncrewed Systems
Centre is Europe's largest drone test and development facility,
and will help us ensure the UK embraces technologies that are
redefining warfare.
Where once new technology could take years from inception to
reaching our Armed Forces, we will now be able to develop and
field new tech in a matter of weeks - because in this new era,
those who innovate fastest will win.
This state-of-the-art centre will work with
British companies, supporting SMEs,
unlocking exports and creating high-skilled jobs.
It will harness the power of data and digital integration as the
UK embraces AI and autonomy, including through our new Task Force
RAID (Rapid AI Delivery) which the Prime Minister and Chief of
the Defence Staff announced earlier this week.
The Strategic Defence Review announced a major increase in
autonomy investment of £2 billion in this parliament, taking
total defence investment in autonomous systems to £4 billion.
The MOD has spent over £450 million on uncrewed systems,
including £300 million on their research and development since
July 2024. In the last year, UK Defence Innovation has
injected over £142 million in rapid investment to scale up
production of drones and anti-drone weapons.
UKDI is the focal point for innovation within the Ministry of
Defence, backed by a ringfenced annual budget of at least £400
million, enabling UK companies to scale up innovative prototypes
rapidly.
