Ukrspecsystems to invest £200 million in UK

Ukrainian drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems has announced plans to invest £200 million in the UK over the next three years, establishing a new uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) production site and testing facility, according to a September 5 press release.

The investment will cover an 11,000 m2 factory at Mildenhall, in East Anglia, and a test and training facility at Elmsett, Suffolk. The company anticipates that this will lead to “the creation of hundreds of skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the local area and wider region,” something which will likely be welcome news to residents of the region. 

The car manufacturer Lotus recently announced that it would be cutting 550 jobs from its Norfolk headquarters, and local MPs have pledged to find every one of the people affected a new job, according to the BBC. Once the Mildenhall factory is established, the company plans to expand to other sites throughout East Anglia over the three-year period. 

Ukrspecsystems plans to start onboarding its UK team later this year, with drone production to start in 2026. The Managing Director for Ukrspecsystems in the UK is Rory Chamberlain, who has held positions in other major defence companies, including Raytheon and BAE Systems. He said, “Ukrspecsystems is proud to be the first Ukrainian company to commit to a funded plan to invest in infrastructure, jobs and skills in the UK.” Other Ukrainian UAV companies like Skyeton have technically brought their capabilities to the UK, but have yet to make any announcements on funding. 

The company’s UK ambitions, “have the full support of the Ukrainian government, which has already approved the first export licence and is in the process of approving a technology transfer,” the press release states. This is an important step for any Ukrainian company, as the government can exert significant control over what companies do and with whom. 

Ukrspecsystems will also be exhibiting at DSEI, and can be found at Booth S2-160. General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s armed forces and  Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, will be supporting Ukrspecsystems at the company’s booth. 

Calibre comment

Ukrspecsystems produces a range of UAVs, like the Shark, which are used extensively by the Ukrainian armed forces. Its drones are, according to some reports, responsible for as much as 90% of Ukraine’s HIMARS strikes. The capabilities and operational pedigree of the company’s drones may position it well to enter the competition for Project CORVUS, which the British Army has initiated to replace its Watchkeeper reconnaissance UAVs. The UK-based production indicates that this is certainly an option, but it would also support wider exports. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on September 7, 2025. Credit for the lead image is Ukrspecsystems