The UK Ministry of Defence has officially confirmed that it will not transfer Watchkeeper reconnaissance drones, which are being prepared for decommissioning, to Ukraine. Instead of outdated platforms, London plans to focus on supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine with more modern and cost-effective unmanned systems that better meet the realities of modern high-tech warfare. This was reported by Defense Express, writes UNN.
Details
The Watchkeeper reconnaissance complex, purchased by Britain in the amount of 54 units back in 2005, has become one of the most controversial projects of the British defense industry. The cost of the program increased from the planned 800 million to 1.35 billion pounds sterling, and the system itself was repeatedly criticized for technical failures and accidents. Defense Minister Luke Pollard noted that the government decided not to transfer these drones to Kyiv, as they are too vulnerable to modern Russian air defense systems and require significant maintenance costs.
The government has focused on new, more economical unmanned systems that should replace Watchkeeper... we will equip the Defense Forces as much as possible to protect sovereign territory and ensure strong positions for any peace negotiations.
Ukrainian alternative and future of the project
It is interesting that, as a replacement for Watchkeeper within the British Corvus program, the Ukrainian Raybird (ACS-3) drone from Skyeton is being considered, among others.
Unlike its British counterpart, the Ukrainian drone already has over 350,000 hours of combat flight time, can stay in the air for more than a day, and is launched using a catapult, which does not require a runway. The new advanced system is expected to enter service with Britain in November 2026, ahead of the planned decommissioning of Watchkeeper.
The refusal to transfer Watchkeeper is considered a rational decision, as large and slow reconnaissance platforms without strike capabilities quickly become targets on the front line.
A similar situation previously arose with MQ-9A Reaper drones, which Britain also decided to dispose of rather than send to Ukraine, so as not to waste resources on building outdated and vulnerable infrastructure.
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