UK plans to open the largest drone manufacturing plant in country
Photo: UK Defense Secretary John Healey (Getty Images)
The city of Swindon in southwest England is set to open the largest drone manufacturing plant in the UK in 2026, according to the UK Ministry of Defense.
The plant to be opened in Swindon belongs to the British-Portuguese company Tekever, which already operates several production lines in the UK.
They will manufacture StormShroud drones, which are already in service with the Royal Air Force.
The plant is planned to open in 2026 and will provide "1,000 high-skilled British jobs," the statement says.
The British government said it has purchased about £270 million worth of drones from Tekever since 2022, some of which were also intended for Ukraine.
Earlier, we reported that the UK will sign an agreement with Ukraine on the joint development and production of advanced military equipment. The deal foresees technology exchange, which will create jobs in the UK and strengthen the national security of both countries.
British Defense Secretary John Healey said at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on 9 September that the UK will fund the production of thousands of long-range drones for Ukraine over the course of a year.
It was also previously reported that the Ukrainian company UkrSpecSystems will build a drone-manufacturing plant in the UK.
