A factory that will manufacture drones for Ukrainian soldiers has opened in the Suffolk town of Mildenhall. Ukrspecsystems has repurposed an existing building to produce the unmanned aircraft as part of a £200m UK investment.
When fully operational, the site will be able to produce up to 1,000 drones a month, the company said.
Rory Chamberlain, Ukrspecsystems’ UK managing director, told the BBC that supplying modern weaponry was of the “highest importance” as Ukraine remained “vulnerable” to attack.
“The war has changed but this keeps soldiers safe and it keeps the nation fighting,” he said. “Another piece has been added to the chessboard – drones in modern warfare. It’s changed how forces defend themselves and how they attack.”
Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, he said the plant would provide “reliable supplies, reliable resources and steady support for Ukraine”. Manufacturing in the UK would strengthen Britain’s defence-industrial base and create a resilient supply chain, ensuring drones used by Ukraine’s armed forces can be developed and scaled without disruption.
Ukrspecsystems, described as Ukraine’s largest drone manufacturer, produces eight types of drone used extensively since the 2022 invasion.
Col Andy Boardman, commander of Operation Interflex – the UK-led training programme launched in 2022 – said battlefield preparation was becoming increasingly technological.
“Not only must we deliver up-to-date tactics, we must also integrate new technologies,” he said. “When we began, training focused on basic soldiering skills such as shooting, patrolling and first aid. We’re now integrating unmanned aerial systems into all aspects of training.”
The factory’s opening was attended by Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi, and Defence Minister Luke Pollard. Pollard said the site deepened defence industry cooperation and would help ensure Ukraine had the industrial capacity needed to sustain its fight as efforts continued towards peace.
Top Photo: L-R: Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Luke Pollard, Rory Chamberlain