7 September 2025, 17:47
Ukrainian drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems has announced a £200 million ($270 million) investment to establish infrastructure in the United Kingdom.
The project includes a 11,000 m² factory in Mildenhall and a testing and training centre for drone operators in Elmsett, Suffolk.
Production is scheduled to begin in early 2026, while recruitment of British staff will start this year. Up to 500 jobs and training programmes are expected to be created.
The company’s leadership stressed that combining Ukraine’s wartime-proven expertise in drone development with the UK’s industrial base will help make Ukrspecsystems a global leader in unmanned systems for both military and civilian use, and turn Britain into a key hub for exports.
The initiative has been backed by the UK Ministry of Defence, which emphasised that cooperation with Ukrainian companies will provide access to cutting-edge technologies and strengthen Britain’s own defence capabilities.
The project is seen as part of the UK’s new defence industrial strategy and is particularly significant for Eastern England, which has recently faced major job losses in the automotive industry.