British Army to Replace Watchkeeper with Tekever AR5 Drones
The £400 million deal starts with six drones and could deliver 24 by 2029, supporting hundreds of UK jobs.
- The MOD selected the UK-based Tekever AR5 to replace the ageing Watchkeeper drone fleet under a contract worth up to £400 million over 10 years.
- Developed by Thales based on an Israeli Elbit design, the Watchkeeper system entered service years late and suffered a series of crashes during testing. The Army confirmed in recent years that it intended to retire the fleet.
- Proven in Ukraine, the AR5 carries up to 50kg of surveillance equipment offering longer endurance than previous systems. Initial orders for six drones will grow to 24 by 2029.
- Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the investment supports troops while driving re-industrialisation. The aircraft will be built at Tekever's soon-to-open manufacturing facility in Swindon, sustaining and creating hundreds of jobs.
- Through CORVUS, Tekever aims to create a new government-industry partnership to ensure constant capability evolution. The MOD said the drones would begin entering service later this year, with support sustained for at least five years.
17 Articles
17 Articles
British Army picks Tekever AR5 to replace Watchkeeper
The UK Ministry of Defence has selected the Tekever AR5 to replace the British Army’s Watchkeeper drones, in a deal worth up to £400 million ($532 million) over ten years. The announcement, made on July 25, 2026, covers an initial order of six aircraft, with up to 24 to be delivered by 2029. The drones will be built at Tekever’s Swindon manufacturing plant, which has yet to open. Subject to contract signature and final approvals, the UK MOD sai…
Portuguese company selected to replace the Watchkeeper drones of the British army. Contract provides for the acquisition of six AR5 units, number to be increased to 24 aircraft by 2029.
UK Army selects battle-tested Tekever drone to replace Watchkeeper
The UK Ministry of Defence announced this week that it has chosen the Tekever AR5, a surveillance drone built by the UK-based company Tekever, to replace the British Army’s aging Watchkeeper fleet under a deal worth up to $533 million over the next ten years. The program, called Project CORVUS, will see the Army field […]
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