UK relies on drone development based on Ukraine's experience
Illustrative photo: Britain adopts Ukraine's experience in using UAVs (Getty Images)
The UK will spend an additional £2 billion (about $2.7 billion) to develop drone technology using tactics developed during the war in Ukraine, The Guardian reports.
The document states that the plan's priorities include low-cost one-shot strike vehicles and more expensive reusable systems, as well as the establishment of a drone center for knowledge sharing and enhanced coordination between the armed forces.
British Defense Secretary John Healey told members of parliament that the army will become 10 times more lethal by combining technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence with the heavy metal of tanks and artillery.
According to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, this was part of a broader commitment to making the UK combat-ready. During a visit to the BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow's Govan district, Starmer stated that defense should be prioritized over other public services.
The Strategic Review also notes that drones have become an integral component of land warfare, so the army should invest in a combination of attack drones, reconnaissance ships, and anti-drone technology.
However, critics say that remotely piloted drones risk increasing the likelihood of conflict. Chris Cole of the Drone Wars UK research group noted that drones lower the threshold for the use of armed force and therefore may encourage war as a first rather than a last option.
Drone production in Ukraine
Ukraine has brought the production of drones to a new level - the defense industry is currently capable of producing about ten million drones annually.
An effective confirmation of the use of artificial intelligence UAVs is Operation Spiderweb, which on June 1 put 34% of Russian strategic aviation out of action.
In total, over 40 bombers used by Russia to strike Ukraine were destroyed or damaged.
