UK sends automated drone-killing turrets and missiles to Ukraine in £600m air defence surge
Britain is sending automated turrets and advanced missile systems to help Ukraine shoot down Russian drones, as part of a £600 million air defence package designed to protect civilians and critical infrastructure through the winter.
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The UK has already delivered more than 1,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine since June, in what ministers describe as the single largest annual investment Britain has made in Ukrainian air defence since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The support comes as Moscow continues to target power stations, hospitals and energy networks in an effort to plunge large parts of the country into darkness.
The announcement was made as Defence Secretary John Healey co-chaired the 32nd meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group alongside his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius. The virtual meeting, attended by representatives from around 50 nations, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, focused on Ukraine’s military priorities for 2026, lessons from the battlefield and the delivery of urgently needed equipment.
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As part of the package, the UK will deliver more than 20 remotely guided counter-drone turrets, acquired from Estonia, from 2026. The systems are specifically designed to defeat Shahed-style one-way attack drones at scale and at significantly lower cost than traditional missile interceptors.
Ukraine will also receive five RAVEN air defence systems, announced earlier this summer, providing rapid-response protection against low-flying aerial threats. The first GRAVEHAWK air defence systems, first revealed in January and now entering service, are being delivered to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend key sites against Russia’s long-range strike campaign.
In total, the UK, with funding from international partners, has supplied more than 1,000 air defence missiles and over 250,000 rounds of air defence ammunition to Ukraine during 2025.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the support was vital as Russia intensifies its attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“Ukrainians continue to fight with huge courage, military and civilians alike,” he said. “The UK’s £600 million air defence investment this year is critical help as they defend their towns, cities and energy infrastructure from Russia’s barbaric attacks.
“Alongside this 50-strong group of partners, we are working to deliver the vital support Ukraine needs to put them in the strongest possible position to secure peace.”
Central to the package is the final tranche of 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles, delivered ahead of schedule last autumn, which are now being used to counter Russian drones and cruise missile attacks.
The announcement also builds on the UK-Ukraine “Octopus” agreement, under which a new interceptor drone will be built in Britain and deployed at scale on the front line. Interceptor drones are significantly cheaper than conventional air defence missiles and have proved highly effective in countering mass drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Ministers say the programme underlines how military support for Ukraine is also driving investment and high-skilled jobs in the UK, while reinforcing Britain’s own national security.
The UK has committed £4.5 billion in military support to Ukraine this year, its highest annual total since the war began, with the government insisting that Britain’s security “starts in Ukraine” as it continues to push for a just and lasting peace.