Watchkeeper out, Tekever in as Royal Artillery gets new set of eyes in the sky

The Royal Artillery has begun taking delivery of its new fleet of Tekever AR5 drones, which will ultimately replace the Watchkeeper.

Back in July, the MOD announced the Portuguese company had been chosen to supply the twin-engine surveillance drone, which can provide round-the-clock intelligence-gathering.

The new drones can carry up to 50kg in surveillance equipment, such as cameras and sensors, and can fly for longer than previous systems the Army has used.

A changing battlefield

The initial order was for six AR5 drones, with up to 24 to be delivered by 2029, and the UAVs are being built in Tekever's Swindon manufacturing facility.

The Royal Artillery posted on X: "The battlefield is changing. So are we.

"The Royal Artillery is taking delivery of its new fleet of the Tekever AR5s, a long-endurance surveillance drone capable of delivering vital intelligence across the battlespace and helping commanders see, understand and act first.

"This capability has been made possible through a fantastic partnership with the UK team at Tekever, helping ensure we remain a future-focused regiment, building for tomorrow's battlefield today.

"Our adversaries must not move faster than our innovation. The AR5 is another step in making sure they don't. This is what a modern Gunner regiment looks like."

On the lookout for threats – for 20 hours

According to the manufacturer, the AR5 is the most advanced medium-altitude, medium-endurance fixed-wing UAS on the market.

The aircraft can be used in both military and civilian capacities, taking on missions such as search and rescue, border surveillance, maritime patrol and land surveillance.

The aircraft has a wingspan of 7.3m, a cruising speed of 100 km/h and crucially an endurance of 20 hours.

The demise of Watchkeeper

Watchkeeper also carries out intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance for the Army, being able to reach altitudes of up to 16,000ft and stay in the air for up to 14 hours.

The tactical uncrewed aerial vehicle proved itself an essential asset on the battlefield, having been used successfully in Afghanistan, where it played a crucial role in protecting British troops.

However, last year then-defence secretary John Healey pointed out how the drones, which cost around £5m each and have been in service for more than a decade, had been beset by problems and were effectively obsolete, would be grounded.