The UK Ministry of Defence has decided not to deploy Watchkeeper reconnaissance drones to Ukraine and will instead decommission the fleet.
In a written reply to Conservative MP Mark Francois, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the government is moving to newer, more cost-effective drone systems to replace Watchkeeper. He confirmed that the retired drones will not be transferred to Ukraine.
Pollard said the UK and its partners would continue supporting Kyiv by providing the equipment needed to defend its territory and strengthen its position in any future peace talks.
He added that the department had focused on “more cost-effective drones that deliver comparable capability and can operate in the most demanding environments,” rather than older platforms such as Watchkeeper Mk1.
Further answers provided new clarity on the financial tail of the programme following its cancellation. Pollard confirmed that the total budget allocated to Watchkeeper between November 2024, when retirement was announced, and March 2027 amounts to £115.9 million. He said this funding supports the managed withdrawal of the system while the Army transitions to a replacement capability.
That replacement, Project Corvus, is expected to be delivered in November 2026, ahead of Watchkeeper’s planned out-of-service date of March 2027. Pollard said that “with the retirement of Watchkeeper Mk1, the Army will transition rapidly to a new, advanced system that draws on the latest operational lessons and technological innovations.”
Valued at around £130 million, the programme aims to deliver a next-generation uncrewed aerial system capable of providing 24-hour persistent intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance in contested environments. The system is designed to support divisional- and corps-level operations and to be operated by 47 Regiment Royal Artillery, the unit currently responsible for Watchkeeper.
Requirements for Corvus include real-time land and maritime ISTAR, low-latency data sharing across joint and coalition networks, and the ability to operate in GNSS-denied conditions.
Photo: Watchkeeper drone from the 47th Regiment of Royal Artillery in Cyprus – British Army
Source: UK Defence Journal