UK air focus: Drone spending trails European frontline states despite $10.46 billion valuation
The UK could acquire BAE’s CCA concept aircraft through the RAF’s more than $3 billion procurement programme. (Image: BAE Systems)
Despite the UK having the third-largest military UAV market in Europe, the country appears to be underinvesting in the capability relative to the size of its economy, particularly when compared with Baltic and eastern European states.
The UK’s commitment to higher levels of drone spending was enshrined in its Defence Investment Plan (DIP), published last month. The document outlined plans to spend £5 billion (US$6.74 billion) on the procurement and testing of autonomous systems as part of a £298 billion defence spend over the next four years.
Regarding procurement alone, Defence Insight estimates the country’s ongoing and forecast acquisitions to be more than double the amount outlined, at $10.46 billion. This gives the UK the third most valuable military uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) market in Europe, trailing Germany’s estimated $21.74 billion expenditure and France’s $11.95 billion.
When total UAV spending is
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