British firms are set to receive the majority of funding under what is described as the largest drone procurement agreement for Ukraine’s Armed Forces in the United Kingdom’s history. According to information provided to Parliament by the UK Ministry of Defence, at least 120,000 drones are expected to be delivered this year. The involvement of domestic companies, including Tekever, Windracers, and Malloy Aeronautics, is intended both to support Kyiv and to strengthen the country’s industrial base.
A detailed breakdown of the funding was disclosed by Luke Pollard, the Minister for the Armed Forces and Defence Procurement. The information was provided in response to a written parliamentary question from Labour MP Luke Akehurst, who represents North Durham. Akehurst asked what steps the Ministry of Defence was taking to ensure that investment in the drone technology package for Ukraine’s Armed Forces would also contribute to the long-term development of the UK’s domestic manufacturing base.
In his response, Luke Pollard reminded colleagues of the April meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. At that event, the Defence Secretary announced an unprecedented support programme that includes the delivery of more than 120,000 drones over the course of the year, with the first batches already shipped. Pollard noted that the majority of the associated investment would remain within the UK economy.
Among the key contractors involved in the programme, he highlighted Tekever, Windracers, and Malloy Aeronautics. According to Pollard, the funding will help preserve and create highly skilled jobs while expanding domestic production capacity. He added that the strategy is intended to deliver a dual benefit: meeting the immediate operational requirements of Ukraine’s Armed Forces while also supporting the long-term growth, resilience, and adaptability of the UK’s defence industrial base.
Each of the companies named already has experience developing or supplying systems relevant to current battlefield requirements. The Anglo-Portuguese company Tekever, which operates substantial manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom, produces the AR3 and AR5 reconnaissance UAVs. These long-endurance platforms have been used by Ukrainian forces for surveillance and targeting missions in the Black Sea region and along the front line. Windracers, based at Solent Airport in Hampshire, specializes in the ULTRA autonomous cargo aircraft, a heavy twin-engine platform designed for logistics and resupply operations. Meanwhile, Malloy Aeronautics, headquartered in Maidenhead and acquired by BAE Systems in 2024, supplies the Ukrainian military with its T150 and T400 heavy-lift quadcopters. These platforms have already been deployed and evaluated under real combat conditions.
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Source: ukdefencejournal
