The British Army will upgrade its aerial systems, with more than 250 “portable” and “packable” mini-drones worth £129 million.
On Friday, The Ministry of Defence awarded UK arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin a 10-year contract to supply the armed forces with the mini-drones, meant to replace existing ones. “As the global threat changes, it’s crucial we remain at the forefront of innovation, delivering cutting edge capabilities to our deployed forces. This is another fantastic example of British industry supporting UK defence technology,” said Alex Chalk KC, Minister for Defence Procurement.
The new drones will provide high-resolution footage, they can locate and identify targets and due to be operational by the end of next year. “Already used by the US military, the drones are designed to provide small military formations with immediate ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance) capability – an increasingly vital component of modern battle spaces,” states Ministry of Defence in a press release.
“This programme will bring a significant uncrewed technological advantage to the UK Armed Forces and be a key enabler in multi-domain integration, as well as create highly skilled jobs and increase the resilience of the industrial base,” said Paul Livingston, CEO of Lockheed Martin UK. The manufacturer will retain several full-time UK positions for the duration of the contract, including engineering, commercial, project management, and support, while other UK supply chain roles are also likely to be supported.
In 2021, the British Army introduced a transformation plan called Future Soldier that aims “to become more lethal, agile and expeditionary; an army able to fight and win wars and to compete successfully in the grey-zone between peace and war. An army equipped with the right culture and leadership to sustain our reputation and moral foundation, and to make the Army a great place to be, for everyone. An army ready for the future, not the past.” The mini drone capability will underline the British Army’s commitment to Future Solider, as the press release concludes.
Since the Russian invasion, the UK has been one of the main providers of military assistance to Ukraine. According to a House of Commons statement, it has already given £2.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine and has promised to match this aid in 2023.
“Ukraine’s victories in recent weeks have been inspirational. Time and time again these brave people have defied the doubters and showed what they can do when given the military, economic and political support they need. My message to the people of Ukraine is this: the UK will continue to be right behind you every step of the way. Your security is our security,” said UK’s Prime Minister.
Source: gov.uk
