UK, Germany, Canada, Luxembourg Pledge £16M for Ukraine Drone Program

19 November, 2024 Ukrainian Liutyi drone before launch. Photo credits: Come Back Alive Foundation The governments of the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Luxembourg will allocate additional funding for the development and purchase of attack and reconnaissance drones for Ukraine.

This is reported on the British government's website. The UK is allocating GBP 7.5 million in addition to the previously announced GBP 120 million for the Ukrainian Navy. The total amount of the additional contribution from other countries is GBP 16 million.

Illustrative photo of an FPV drone.

Photo from open sources.

It is detailed that Germany will allocate GBP 10 million, Canada and Luxembourg will allocate GBP 3 million each. Funding will be provided through the Drone Coalition, led by Latvia and the United Kingdom. The total budget of the Drone Coalition is GBP 67 million, including 15 million from the UK.

Illustrative photo of an FPV drone.

Photo from open sources.

"Ukraine continues to demonstrate the effectiveness of drones on the battlefield, using low-cost drones to destroy hundreds of comparatively more expensive Russian tanks and vehicles. Using reconnaissance drones, the Ukrainians have also been very successful in using their artillery to destroy Russian artillery positions," the British government stated. The UK is also holding two competitions with industry for the design, development, and procurement of new advanced drones, including FPVs.

Ukrainian drone companies were the second largest in terms of the number of applications submitted in the second series of tenders announced by the UK as part of the Drone Coalition.

In September, Ukrainian manufacturers were admitted to these international tenders for the first time.

They included two lots: for the production of advanced FPV drones with autonomous functions and stable communication and interceptor drones.