UK boosts drone program with £2 billion investment, citing Ukraine’s experience

The Guardian reports with reference to the Strategic Defense Review published by the British government.

It notes that the plan's priorities are cheap one-shot strike vehicles and more expensive reusable systems, as well as the creation of a drone center for knowledge sharing and better coordination between the armed forces.

British Defense Secretary John Healey told members of parliament that the army will become “10 times more lethal” by combining technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence “with the heavy metal of tanks and artillery.”

According to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, this was part of a wider commitment to making the UK more defensible. 

During a visit to the BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow's Govan district, Starmer said that defense should come first among other public services.

The Strategic Review also notes that drones have become an integral component of ground warfare, so the army should invest in a combination of attack drones, reconnaissance ships, and counter-unmanned aircraft technology.

At the same time, critics say that remotely piloted drones risk increasing the likelihood of conflict. Chris Cole of the Drone Wars UK research group noted that drones lower the threshold for the use of armed force and therefore may “encourage war as a first rather than a last option.”

• Earlier, the UK declared an additional $4 billion in defense spending. The move is seen as a “message to Moscow” and is part of a broader strategy to prepare for a potential conflict with Russia.