UK Pumps £142M into Drone and Anti-Drone Programs

By Staff, Agencies

The UK Defence Ministry announced on Monday that the United Kingdom will invest over £142 million [$189.9 million] this year in developing drone and counter-drone systems.

The funding, channeled through the newly launched UK Defence Innovation [UKDI], marks a major step in Britain’s efforts to strengthen its autonomous and directed-energy weapons capabilities.

According to the ministry, approximately £30 million of the total will be devoted to counter-drone technologies, aimed at safeguarding the UK and allied territories in response to a surge in alleged Russian-linked drone incursions across Europe.

Among the projects highlighted, the AI-controlled Excalibur submarine will receive £25 million for its development. The unmanned submarine is set to operate under the Atlantic Bastion programme, which seeks to enhance undersea warfare capabilities.

Another significant allocation of £20 million will support the development of a laser weapon for the UK DragonFire system, a platform designed to counter aerial threats, including drones.

Additional investments will fund the creation of an unmanned helicopter, an air-launched drone, and other autonomous systems, reflecting a broad push toward integrating artificial intelligence and unmanned platforms across British military operations.

The UKDI initiative, launched earlier this year, is part of London’s wider Strategic Defence Review, aiming to modernize military capabilities while rapidly advancing technological innovation. The programme prioritizes British SMEs and research institutions.

In October, Defense Secretary John Healey announced that British forces will gain new legal powers under the Armed Forces Bill to shoot down unidentified drones posing a threat near military installations.

While current counter-drone measures rely primarily on GPS disruption and electronic diversion, the new authority allows troops and Ministry of Defence Police to employ kinetic force against extreme threats.