{"id":10580,"date":"2025-12-15T17:43:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T16:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=10580"},"modified":"2025-12-15T17:48:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T16:48:09","slug":"rapid-140-million-boost-for-drone-and-counter-drone-tech-from-newly-formed-uk-defence-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=10580","title":{"rendered":"RAPID \u00a3140 MILLION BOOST FOR DRONE AND COUNTER-DRONE TECH FROM NEWLY-FORMED UK DEFENCE INNOVATION"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Defence Secretary John Healey <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Britain’s Armed Forces will be better equipped, and small British defence businesses will grow rapidly as the Government boosts investment into\u00a0innovative drone systems this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) \u2013 launched earlier this year \u2013 will inject over \u00a3142 million rapid investment into drones and anti-drone weapons this year, its first year in operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes around \u00a330 million investment this year into counter-drone technology to protect the UK homeland and allies, in the face of increasing Russian-linked drone incursions across Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UKDI was launched by Defence Secretary John Healey MP in July this year to be the focal point for innovation within the Ministry of Defence, backed by a ringfenced annual budget of at least \u00a3400 million.  It takes a new approach, using different ways of contracting, to enable UK companies to scale up innovative prototypes rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many of the companies involved remain anonymous, the drones investment this year includes 20 British SMEs, 11 British \u2018Micro-SMEs\u2019, and 2 British Academic institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rapid investment delivers on the Strategic Defence Review which set out how the UK must take the lessons from the war in Ukraine \u2013 such as rapidly advancing drones and unmanned systems \u2013 to put the UK\u2019s Armed Forces at the leading edge of innovation in NATO.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, said:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter years of hollowing out and underfunding, I am determined to put Britain\u2019s Armed Forces, and British businesses, at the leading edge of defence innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Strategic Defence Review was clear that we must learn the lessons of the war in Ukraine, which is why we\u2019re surging investment into drone and counter drone systems. Russia\u2019s continued bombardment of Ukrainian civilians and their grey-zone drone incursions across Europe show why this drone drive is so urgent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn a new era of threat, this rapid investment will make the UK secure at home and strong abroad, while making defence an engine for growth, ensuring the UK is the best place in the world to start and grow a defence business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specific examples of this year’s investment includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n