The UK is significantly expanding its military support to Ukraine, with plans to deliver 100,000 drones in 2025—ten times the number sent in 2024. This dramatic increase is backed by a record
£350 million investment in drone production and procurement, forming a key part of the UK’s £4.5 billion military aid package this year.
Building on the delivery of over 10,000 drones last year, the UK has already sent tens of thousands more, responding to Ukraine’s growing reliance on drones in its defense against Russia’s ongoing invasion. British defence firms, including small and medium-sized enterprises, are driving the surge, supporting jobs at home as part of the government’s broader economic Plan for Change.
At a meeting of the 50-nation Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) at NATO headquarters, UK Defence Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart will host Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. Healey will also announce a further £247 million commitment to train Ukrainian forces. This funding continues the success of Operation Interflex, which has trained over 55,000 Ukrainian recruits in the UK since 2022 with help from 13 allied nations.
According to Ukrainian frontline units, UK-supplied drones have proven crucial in repelling Russian attacks and saving lives. British Defence Intelligence reports that drones are now responsible for more frontline casualties in Ukraine than artillery, underscoring their battlefield importance.
In addition to drones, the UK has completed the delivery of 140,000 artillery shells to Ukraine since January 2025. Artillery remains vital to Ukraine’s efforts to hold back Russian advances amid global supply chain pressure.
As part of its Strategic Defence Review released this week, the UK government has pledged over £4 billion to develop autonomous systems and drones for its own armed forces. This follows a broader plan to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027.
The UK is also contributing £40 million to NATO’s NSATU mission trust fund, which it leads. This funding will support Ukraine with spare parts, fuel, training, and battlefield consumables.
The drones provided by the UK span a wide range of technologies—from agile first-person view (FPV) drones used for precision strikes, to interceptor drones that destroy incoming Russian threats, to fiber-optic tethered drones resistant to electronic jamming. Low-cost explosive-dropping drones and FPV systems together are estimated to cause up to 70% of current damage to Russian equipment.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:
“The UK is stepping up its support for Ukraine by delivering hundreds of thousands more drones this year and completing a major milestone in the delivery of critical artillery ammunition.
We are learning lessons every day from the battlefield in Ukraine, which British companies are using to develop advanced new drones to help protect Ukraine’s civilians and also strengthen our own national security.
Defence is an engine for growth, delivering on this government’s Plan for Change, and this investment will help keep us secure at home and strong abroad, while ensuring the UK is a world leader in rapidly developing drone technology”.
The UK remains committed to working with international partners to ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position to defend itself and reclaim its territory. Photo by Trydence, Wikimedia commons.