How the UK Plans to Become a Global Leader in Uncrewed Systems
This February, the UK’s Ministry of Defence released “Defence Drone Strategy: The UK’s Approach to Defence Uncrewed Systems”, a report that highlights the ministry’s efforts to enhance collaboration and innovation relating to uncrewed systems. Within the report the Ministry of Defence lays out its vision for uncrewed systems in the armed forces, and their plans for a £4.6 billion investment in uncrewed solutions.
This article will provide a synopsis of the Ministry of Defence’s drone strategy, including a look at land, sea, and air uncrewed vehicles, lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, and more.
UK’s Vision for Uncrewed Systems
As stated in the Defence Ministry’s Drone Strategy, the UK aims to become a world leader in the uncrewed systems space. One step to realizing this goal includes the seamless integration of uncrewed systems with autonomous technologies. The constant adaption of these tools allow for more effective military uses in conflicts such as Ukraine.
Already, the Ministry of Defence is beginning to see its vision and investments pay off. The ministry has already committed to projects that impact land, sea and air.
Air
Since 2007, the MQ-9 Reaper, a stalwart in the Royal Air Force (RAF), has amassed over 140,000 operational flying hours and executed 1,500 weapons releases. Stepping into its shoes is the MQ-9B Protector, boasting world-class capabilities, armed with a versatile array of weapons and sensors, and possessing the capacity for self-deployment across the globe. Concurrently, the RAF is advancing the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) while exploring the efficacy of cost-effective expendable Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) aimed at harnessing state-of-the-art technology to bolster high-risk combat operations. The ACP Programme encompasses an array of experimental and developmental platforms capable of delivering strategic effects over extended distances.
Sea
The Royal Navy has pioneered the utilization of Remus 100 and 300 Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) for mine detection purposes, alongside the deployment of M500 underwater Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for seabed operations. Drawing insights from experiences in the Black Sea and its leadership role in maritime experimentation within the Maritime Coalition, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are now being deployed onto Royal Navy frigates, progressively integrated into the ship Combat Management Systems. Notably, HMS Prince of Wales has achieved several groundbreaking milestones, including the successful launch and retrieval of a 9-meter-long Mojave RPAS, as well as the operation of the domestically produced Windracer heavy-lift logistic drone.
Land/Near Land
With a rich legacy of uncrewed system development and deployment, the Royal Army has traversed a continuum from the compact tactical Desert Hawk to the more expansive Phoenix, Hermes, and Watchkeeper platforms. A significant stride has been made in the creation of short and long-range find and strike systems tailored for deployment in Ukrainian, with numerous components being supplied by small and medium-sized enterprises within the UK. The insights gleaned from operations in Ukraine serve as vital catalysts, propelling the Army's rapid spiral system development endeavors forward.
How Ukraine is Shaping Uncrewed Systems Strategies
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has displayed the value of uncrewed systems on a world stage and has played a role in the UK’s decision to grow their investment in uncrewed systems.
“The conflict in Ukraine has become a very visible representation of a ‘new way of war’, one characterised by innovation, the proliferation of technology, digitisation of the battlefield and the need to rapidly develop capability fit for the tempo of operations,” wrote James Cartlidge MP, Minister for Defense.
The Ukraine conflict has shown global militaries the high attrition rates of these uncrewed systems amidst physical engagements. As a result, many defense departments around the world are seeking new capabilities and technologies that can be developed at scale, which has forced the commercial sector to enable different cost models to deliver these capabilities.
The U.K. defence sector has stepped up to help Ukraine with the rapid development of uncrewed systems. In 2024, the U.K. fulfilled its now annual commitment of £2.4 billion in military support for Ukraine, hundreds of millions of which went to support logistic, surveillance, strike and maritime uncrewed platforms.
The next steps for the U.K. will not only be continuing the delivery of uncrewed systems to Ukraine, but continue to learn lessons from the front line to improve the effectiveness of uncrewed systems.
The Ministry of Defence also intends to continue fostering partnerships with industry to elevate the capabilities uncrewed systems, as well as working with regulatory bodies to ensure the efforts to create next generation uncrewed systems align with regulations.
Going forward the ministry plans to establish a Defence-level governance mechanism that will support the Royal Air Force, Navy, and Army’s delivery plans. This entity will focus on six areas to accelerate capabilities: research & development, test & evaluation coordination, regulation and risk, digital integration and security standards, industrial principals and commercial agility, and equipment and market analysis.
If you are interested in learning more about the drastic changes in modern warfare and the role uncrewed systems are playing, be sure to register for the Uncrewed Systems Summit today. This two-day event, happening September 24-25 at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in London, will bring together key stakeholders in the field to explore technological solutions, forge connections, and create new dialogues with allies that will further the development of uncrewed technology. To view this year's full agenda, click here.
