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4 clusters · 24 sources · 14 days · First seen · Last updated

Categories: TECHNOLOGY

UK procurement of Tekever AR5/AR6 drones

Entities: British Army · Tekever · Swindon · Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) · Project Corvus

Overview

In late July 2026 Tekever unveiled its AR6 heavy‑lift autonomous drone at the Farnborough International Airshow. The AR6 can transport 200 kg over 500 km and will be produced at the company’s new Swindon facility for civilian logistics, disaster relief and military casualty evacuation, while also supporting Project Nyx with Apache helicopters.

The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed a contract of up to £400 million (about €467 million) to supply the British Army with the AR5 fixed‑wing surveillance UAV under the Army’s Project Corvus. Up to 24 AR5s will replace the ageing Watchkeeper fleet, providing continuous 24‑hour reconnaissance with a payload capacity of up to 50 kg of cameras and sensors. An initial batch of six aircraft is slated for delivery later in 2026, with the full complement expected by 2029.

Brigadier Matt Birch, Senior Responsible Owner for the programme, called the AR5 essential for contested‑airspace ISTAR operations. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted the AR5’s proven performance in Ukraine – the type has logged more than 50,000 flight hours there since 2022 – and its role in protecting British soldiers globally. The contract includes at least five years of support from Tekever, with options for further extensions.

Production will be centred at the Swindon plant, with additional engineering and support activities in Bristol, Southampton and West Wales, creating and sustaining hundreds of highly‑skilled jobs. The AR6’s hydraulic‑propulsion system enables operation in extreme temperatures, reduces maintenance and lowers operating costs. Production is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026, involving a network of local SMEs.

Timeline

  1. 3 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 6 sources
    Tekever secures up to €467 million UK Army drone contract

    Tekever won a UK Ministry of Defence contract worth up to €467 million to supply AR5 drones for the Army’s Corvus program, creating hundreds of jobs and replacing Watchkeeper.

  2. 7 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    UK Army selects Tekever AR5 drone under Project Corvus

    The UK Army selected the Tekever AR5 drone to replace Watchkeeper under Project Corvus, a £400 million contract delivering up to 24 UAVs by 2029, built in Swindon with proven Ukrainian combat use.

  3. 13 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 15 sources
    British Army to acquire £400 million Tekever AR5 drones, ending Watchkeeper era

    The UK signs a £400 million deal with Tekever to supply up to 24 AR5 drones, replacing Watchkeeper, boosting battlefield intelligence and creating hundreds of UK jobs.

  4. 16 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    TEKEVER launches AR6 heavy‑lift autonomous drone

    TEKEVER unveiled the AR6 autonomous drone, capable of 200 kg payloads over 500 km, targeting civil logistics and military support. Production in the UK starts 2026, with the system also linked to the UK’s Nyx‑A

Sources

aeromorning.com · aresdifesa.it · armadainternational.com · caithness-business.co.uk · defence24.pl · defenceonline.co.uk · defensetalks.com · diariodistrito.sapo.pt · eco.sapo.pt · emissoradasbeiras.pt · longviewer.substack.com · milmag.pl · opex360.com · planobrazil.com · rr.pt · sapo.pt · tek.sapo.pt · thefinancialanalyst.net · thevaultznews.com · tveuropa.pt · uk.news.yahoo.com · ukdefencejournal.org.uk · upday.com · world-today-journal.com

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history