Shooting down the Shaheds: UK and Ukraine to produce interceptor drones
The UK and Ukraine have announced a major new partnership to develop and mass-produce interceptor drones - with one of Kyiv's leading drone-makers also revealing plans to build a factory in the UK.
The announcement comes a day after 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace during overnight attacks on Ukraine, some of which were shot down by Polish and Nato forces.
At London's DSEI defence trade show, Defence Secretary John Healey is expected to confirm the launch of Project Octopus, a joint programme to design, build and deploy advanced interceptor drones.
Shahed shutdown
Project Octopus uncrewed aerial vehicles have already seen action in Ukraine and are said to be highly effective against Russia's Iranian-designed Shahed one-way attack drones, despite costing just 10% of the price.
Earlier this week Moscow carried out its largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began, launching 823 drones, including hundreds of Shaheds.
Symbolically, it was also the first time Russia had attacked government buildings in the heart of the Ukrainian capital.
Under this new tech-sharing agreement, thousands of Octopus drones will be manufactured in Britain every month, with Ukraine providing frontline know-how and design expertise.
Ministers say the project will not only boost Ukraine's defences, but also create British jobs and strengthen the UK's own air defence industry.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "As Russia continues its egregious and unrelenting attacks on Ukraine, the UK's support will not falter, and we alongside our allies will continue to step up.
"This new partnership is a landmark moment, bringing together British and Ukrainian ingenuity to deliver cutting-edge defence drone technology to fight back against Russian aggression."
Shark bites into Russian intel
Alongside this announcement, Ukrainian drone-maker Ukrspecsystems has revealed a £200m investment in a new UK drone production plant at Mildenhall in Suffolk, plus a training and testing site at nearby Elmsett.
The 11,000 square metre facility is expected to employ around 500 people when it opens next year.
Ukrspecsystems produces the Shark-D reconnaissance drone, which is already in use with the Ukrainian armed forces.
The war in Ukraine has seen a huge acceleration in in drone technology, with Russia relying heavily on cheap Shaheds to attack Ukrainian cities and key infrastructure.
Ukraine has rapidly developed its own systems, using UAVs for reconnaissance, artillery spotting and long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory.
An estimated 70% of all Russian casualties on the battlefield are now caused by Ukrainian drones.
A cost-effective capability
Kyiv has received some sophisticated air defence systems like the US-built Patriot and German Iris-T, but they are extremely costly to operate against relatively cheap drones like the Shahed.
A single Patriot battery costs over $1bn, with each missile costing $4m.
Interceptor drones are seen as a cheaper solution to countering the drone threat, saving the more advanced systems to target incoming Russian cruise missiles.
Setting up drone production abroad, particularly in countries like the UK, is an attempt by Kyiv to ensure supply lines remain intact, even if factories in Ukraine come under attack.
For Britain, the deals mark a shift from simply supplying kit to co-developing it - and from short-term military aid to long-term industrial partnerships.
Ministers say it also proves that lessons from Ukraine are being fed directly into UK defence planning.
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