UK signs deal to supply advanced strike drones to Ukraine

The United Kingdom has announced a deal with the Anglo-American defence technology company Anduril UK which will allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to obtain more advanced strike drones to counter Russian aggression in the Black Sea.

As stated by the UK government, the deal was agreed ahead of a meeting between UK Defence Secretary John Healey and his American counterpart Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon.

The new contracts, valued at nearly £30 million, involve the supply of Anduril’s latest drones, the Altius 600m and Altius 700m, which are designed for surveillance of the terrain prior to launching strikes on targets.

"We are determined to achieve a secure, lasting peace in Ukraine, which means putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position to prevent any return to Russian aggression," Healey said. 

The work with Anduril UK has been led by Defence Equipment & Support – the procurement arm of the Ministry of Defence – on behalf of the UK-managed International Fund for Ukraine (IFU).

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are expected to receive the drones, launchers and spare parts in the coming months.

It was reported that the Latvian government has allocated €10 million for the production of Ukrainian drones. 

Norway has also announced that it is joining the drone coalition.