The UK government has confirmed that drones and other autonomous systems will be adopted “in high numbers” across the British Armed Forces under a £5 billion technology initiative announced in June, but has declined to publish breakdowns of expected spending or quantities for this financial year.
In a series of written parliamentary answers on 11 July, Defence Minister Maria Eagle repeatedly pointed to the Strategic Defence Review’s recommendation that autonomy and artificial intelligence (AI) become an “immediate priority” in the transformation of the UK’s conventional forces.
Conservative MP James Cartlidge had asked for detailed figures on how the £4 billion earmarked for autonomous systems in the five-year plan will be allocated across financial years and capabilities.
“Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land,” Eagle stated. The ‘high-low’ concept refers to combining exquisite platforms with lower-cost, scalable systems such as FPV drones and disposable sensors.
When pressed by Cartlidge on how much of the investment would be spent on drones for the armed forces in the current financial year, Eagle replied that “exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.” The same response was given when asked to provide annual allocations through to 2028–29 and percentage breakdowns for spending on reconnaissance, logistics, FPV, and long-range one-way attack drones.
This lack of specificity contrasts with the scale of ambition implied by the government’s announcement in early June, which branded the initiative a “European first” and part of a £5 billion push to maintain technological superiority. That announcement also claimed the plan would deliver “mass procurement of drones for the battlefield.”
But when Cartlidge asked how many systems would be procured by role type in this financial year, Eagle again declined to give figures, reiterating that “exact numbers and investment apportioned to these systems will be determined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.”
Rather than filling hangars with millions of soon-to-be obsolete drones, it would be far better to spend the money on developing a UK sovereign drone design CAPABILITY, and then the CAPACITY to produce drones at scale when needed at secure locations.
“Exquisite platforms”.
I had a pair of them once.
No but seriously, what are they and what do they do ?
Nobody actually knows the answer to that
Well someone needs to get a lick on then if it’s a 5 year plan.
Ah,BUT, any decision on getting a “lick on” has to be reviewed subject to a consultation prior to having the meeting about what they are.
Ha ha, You nailed it !
They make you feel taller and more fashionable in the world…
Yup, I had the Bay City Rollers version.
In the end there is very little point in massive capital investment in drones.. they need to spend the money on testing and embedded doctrine and ensuring there is a steady industrial base that can increase capacity and innovate at need.
The issue at present is that they have done testing.. but they are not embedding doctrine as that is the hard expensive bit.