[CLSTR]
< Back to situation

[REVISION HISTORY]

UK procurement of Tekever AR5/AR6 drones

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-03 14:34 UTC → 2026-08-04 12:06 UTC · added removed

UK procurement of Tekever AR5 and AR6 AR5/AR6 drones

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. Shortly after, the 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. UAV under the Army’s Project Corvus. Up to 24 AR5s will replace the ageing Watchkeeper fleet, providing continuous 24‑hour reconnaissance with an a payload capacity of up to 50 kg of cameras and sensors. An initial batch of six aircraft is slated for delivery and later in 2026, with the full complement expected by 2029. Each AR5 carries up to 50 kg of cameras and sensors and offers markedly longer endurance, enhancing battlefield awareness. The procurement is framed under the Army’s Project Corvus. Brigadier Matt Birch, the Senior Responsible Owner for the programme, said called the AR5 is essential for contested‑airspace ISTAR operations. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted that the AR5 is “proven AR5’s proven performance in Ukraine – the type has logged more than 50,000 flight hours there since 2022 – and designed to protect its role in protecting British soldiers globally,” emphasizing the role globally. The contract includes at least five years of support from Tekever, with options for further extensions. Production will be centred at the purchase Swindon plant, with additional engineering and support activities in re‑industrialising the UK defence sector Bristol, Southampton and preserving sovereign capability. The Swindon plant will create West Wales, creating and sustain sustaining hundreds of jobs, cementing a rapid expansion of Tekever’s partnership with the United Kingdom across both heavy‑lift logistics and intelligence‑gathering missions. highly‑skilled jobs. The AR6’s design incorporates a hydraulic‑propulsion system that enables operation in extreme heat or cold, temperatures, reduces maintenance and lowers operating costs. Production is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026, with the programme involving a network of local SMEs. The AR5 contract, valued at about €467 million over ten years, also includes engineering and support activities in Bristol, Southampton and West Wales, and the first systems are expected to enter service later in 2026 pending final approvals.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-04 12:06 UTC UK procurement of Tekever AR5/AR6 drones
  2. 2026-08-03 14:34 UTC UK procurement of Tekever AR5 and AR6 drones
  3. 2026-07-31 05:42 UTC UK procurement of Tekever AR5 and AR6 drones
  4. 2026-07-26 07:50 UTC UK procurement of Tekever AR5 and AR6 drones

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.