Attack drones could soon be supporting AH-64Es on training missions and operations (Picture: MOD)

Tri-Service

Army Apaches, RAF jets and Navy warships all set to be boosted by £5bn drone plan

30th June 2026 at 9:17am

Attack drones flying alongside Army Air Corps Apache helicopters, RAF jets being protected from detection by a screen thrown up by specialist drones and a hybrid navy of crewed and uncrewed vessels are a key component of the Government's long-awaited Defence Investment Plan.

The plan, known as the DIP, which will be formally revealed later today, pledges more than £5bn on drone technology for the Armed Forces.

In his announcement, the Prime Minister will set out how new investment in defence will accelerate the use of drones and autonomous systems across all three services.

What the Government is promising in the DIP

The funding will see capabilities ranging from highly complex autonomous mine-hunting drones to small quadcopter tactical drones and low-cost one-way attack drones. The drone transformation will be accelerated across all the services.

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is transforming into a hybrid navy, combining autonomous vessels and AI with warships and aircraft, including:

:: Type 91: Uncrewed missile platforms to increase the firepower of the Hybrid Fleet

:: Type 92: Uncrewed sense platforms designed to hunt enemy submarines across the North Atlantic, supporting our new frigates

:: Type 93: Extra-large uncrewed underwater vessels which will work alongside crewed hunter-killer submarines to seek and destroy enemy submarines

:: Type 94: Uncrewed sense platforms designed to scan the skies for threats to the hybrid navy or the homeland

:: In the 2030s, the aim is to expand the numbers of the above platforms and bring at least six Common Combat Vessels into service as the brain of a networked Maritime Air Defence system

:: Project Pantheon Development of a Hybrid Carrier Air Wing, including trialling jet-powered drones to work alongside the Lightning force

:: Royal Marines Commandos to benefit from further investment in their transformation, equipped with new high-speed boats and the latest drone and autonomous technology

Army

The Army is increasing its lethality, including through:

:: A major investment into inexpensive expendable autonomous systems and loitering munitions to enhance the lethality of the Army, including a £50m boost over the next 12 months for the Army’s Rapstone programme, funding additional first person view and interceptor drones

:: Uncrewed Ground Vehicles: A new programme to rapidly develop and produce uncrewed vehicles and their associated mission systems for the Army through UK industry

:: Project Nyx: Up to 24 autonomous armed drones will be operational by 2030, flying alongside the Army’s recently upgraded Apache helicopters. They will carry out reconnaissance, precision strikes and electronic warfare

:: Project Corvus: Up to 24 surveillance drones to replace the Watchkeeper system, carrying out intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance.

Royal Air Force

The RAF is transforming, investing in:

:: A new, national Collaborative Combat Air programme: The development of new autonomous fighter jets which will fly alongside crewed jets, to defend the UK’s skies with a demonstrator flying by at least 2030

:: Storm Shroud system: Bringing the new uncrewed electronic warfare drone into service this year

Industry involved as well

The money will also be used to fund the Uncrewed Systems Centre – Europe's biggest drone-testing centre – which opened earlier this month in Swindon.

There will also be a new Uncrewed Systems Taskforce to rapidly develop and field new autonomous capabilities with industry.

The Government's aim is to ensure businesses can continuously scale production to get the most up-to-date drones into service as soon as possible with UK personnel and their allies.

War is changing

The focus on drones is in large part due to the lessons learned from Ukraine and Iran.

Drones have rapidly reshaped the way wars are being fought, with cheap systems destroying high-value targets.

Ukraine is using around 200,000 drones a month to defend itself from the Russian invasion.

And at the height of the Iran conflict, 700 offensive drones were being launched every day.

However, some figures within defence, including General Sir Richard Barrons, one of the co-authors of the Strategic Defence Review, argue the DIP will not be enough to prepare the country for war.

:: BFBS Forces News will bring you all the updates that matter to you as they happen.