In an announcement marking a new milestone in military assistance, the United Kingdom will deliver 120,000 drones to the Armed Forces of Ukraine during 2026, constituting the largest package of unmanned systems supplied to date. The initiative, confirmed by the British Ministry of Defence, seeks to substantially strengthen Ukraine’s operational capabilities in the face of the intensification of Russian operations on the battlefield.
The announcement comes in parallel with the trip of British Defence Secretary John Healey to Berlin to co-chair the 34th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, made up of 50 countries. Key officials are participating in this meeting, including German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, Ukrainian minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in a central instance for coordinating international support for Ukraine.
The package includes the delivery of more than 120,000 drones, among them long-range strike systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms, as well as logistical drones and unmanned maritime capabilities, all of them combat-tested on the Ukrainian front. Deliveries began in April and will continue throughout the year, in response to the growing importance of these systems on the battlefield. In March 2026, Russia launched approximately 6,500 attack drones against Ukraine, highlighting the central role of these technologies in the conflict.
Although no specific models were detailed, the program includes the participation of British companies such as Tekever, Windracers, and Malloy Aeronautics, allowing one to infer a combination of ISR platforms, strike drones, and heavy-lift logistics systems. These capabilities are intended to cover multiple operational needs, from reconnaissance to frontline sustainment.
As for the supply background of these combat systems, Malloy, a subsidiary of BAE Systems, had already supplied Ukraine with T-150 utility drones, while Ukrainian personnel have accumulated more than 50,000 operational hours with Tekever’s AR3 model, used in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. Based on this experience, the company is currently developing the AR3 Evo, an improved version that incorporates lessons learned directly from the conflict.
For its part, Windracers has deployed its autonomous Ultra platform in Ukraine since 2023, defined as a dual-use heavy-lift system with long-range air support capability. This twin-engine drone can carry more than 150 kg of payload and reach a range of more than 1,080 nautical miles (2,000 km), consolidating itself as a key tool for logistical missions in demanding operational environments. The drone package forms part of a broader British military assistance program valued at 3 billion pounds for 2026, which also includes the provision of hundreds of thousands of artillery shells and thousands of air defense missiles. Taken together, these measures reinforce the United Kingdom’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense and sovereignty, in coordination with international allies.
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