Kyiv is to take delivery of 30,000 new uncrewed surveillance and attack drones, via a multinational initiative jointly led by Latvia and the UK.
Announced following a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Ramstein air base in Germany on 9 January, the effort also includes funding support from Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Contracts for the equipment worth a combined £45 million ($55 million) have been placed by the Drone Capability Coalition, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).
“These state-of-the-art, first-person-view drones will help Ukraine fight against Russian aggression, allowing Ukraine’s armed forces to manoeuvre past Russian air defences to target enemy positions and armoured vehicles,” it says.
The multinational drone coalition has to date raised funds totalling around £73 million, according to the MoD, including £15 million committed by the UK.
Canada, meanwhile, announced a new package of military assistance valued at $440 million, including a commitment of “$100 million to the Danish model to support the production of military drones by Ukraine’s domestic defence industry”.
Kyiv’s armed forces extensively employ uncrewed air systems (UAS) for activities ranging from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to conducting armed strikes against ground troops and vehicles. It also has employed such equipment during aerial engagements against Russian UAS and helicopters.
Among other commitments announced following the latest contact group meeting – which involved attendees from 50 nations – are a $500 million package from the USA, “to include additional missiles for Ukrainian air defence, more ammunition, more air-to-ground munitions, and other equipment to support Ukraine’s [Lockheed Martin] F-16s”.
Meanwhile, a further £190 million has been pledged to the UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine, which now values more than £1.3 billion, including £500 million from the UK.
The fresh backing includes £67 million from Denmark, £59 million from Norway and £43 million from Portugal, with the funds to support capabilities spanning drones, air defence systems and training.
