Since mid-2024, Great Britain has received over 8,000 drones for its own army, while Ukraine is planned to be supplied with about 120,000 drones in less than nine months. This is reported by Defense Express, writes UNN.
Details
According to the British Ministry of Defense, the total investment in drones exceeded 450 million pounds sterling, of which over 300 million was directed to research and development, and the rest - to procurement.
At the same time, the announced aid package for Ukraine provides for the supply of 15 times more drones in a much shorter period.
What's the nuance
In both cases, it is not only about the products of national manufacturers. Britain cooperates with more than 60 companies, of which only 17 are local.
At the same time, the details of the contracts, including the types of drones and the share of foreign suppliers, are not disclosed for security reasons. This refers to a wide range of UAVs - from reconnaissance to attack and FPV drones.
Why Britain does not accumulate large volumes
Analysts note that the relatively small number of drones in the British army has a logic: modern drones quickly become obsolete due to changing war conditions.
Combat-proven Vector drone in Ukraine selected for US Army17.04.26, 05:56
Therefore, the focus is not on accumulating stocks, but on developing technologies and production capabilities.
Benefits for Ukraine's partners
Countries that supply weapons to Ukraine gain access to unique combat experience in using drones. This allows manufacturers to quickly improve systems and adapt them to real war conditions.
This approach forms the basis for rapid scaling of production and the creation of relevant solutions for the modern battlefield.
Ukrainian Fire Point abandoned production in the Netherlands due to bureaucracy17.04.26, 05:37