Britain ready to spend £2bn on drones to make army '10 times deadlier'

The war in Ukraine proved the effectiveness and indispensability of drones of all types, especially aerial drones. Practically the whole world is studying the experience of the Ukrainian army in preparation for potential conflicts. Many countries, including the UK, are ready to increase investments in the development of drone technology, and after the unique operation "Spider Web", we are sure that there will be even more of them.

Here's What We Know

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said that the UK will invest £2 billion in the development of drones in the next 2 years. The main aim is to turn the British Army into an ultra-efficient force on the battlefield with a focus on the use of long-range strike and reconnaissance drones as well as kamikaze drones.

According to the statements, the army plans to deploy tens of thousands of UAVs with an emphasis on autonomy, cheapness and mass deployment. To quote Shapps, "in the next big war, the side with more drones will win."

In parallel, Britain is launching a tender between industrialists - along the lines of Ukraine's Drone Hackathon - to attract innovation.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that Britain will spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2027, but declined to give an exact date when that figure will rise to 3%. Labour has promised to increase it further in the next parliament.

Source: The Guardian