After dismissing the possibility of donating its Watchkeeper drone to Ukraine, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the system will be replaced later in 2026.
According to the UK Defence Journal, the information was confirmed by Defence Secretary Luke Pollard. In a letter, he said that the government prioritized newer and more cost-effective unmanned systems instead of transferring the Watchkeeper to Ukraine.
He stated that the UK and its partners would continue to equip Kyiv “in the best possible way to defend its sovereign territory and ensure it is in a position of strength for any peace negotiations.”
But Pollard added that since the Watchkeeper entered service in 2010, “drone technology has evolved at a remarkable pace, driven by the extensive use of unmanned systems in the war in Ukraine.”
For this reason, the department decided to focus on delivering “more cost-effective drones that offer comparable capability and can operate in the most demanding environments,” rather than older platforms like the Watchkeeper Mk1.
Pollard also confirmed that the total budget allocated to the Watchkeeper between November 2024, when its retirement was announced, and March 2027 is around US$160 million. He said this funding supports the managed withdrawal of the system while the Army transitions to a replacement capability.
This replacement, the Corvus Project, is expected to be delivered in November 2026, ahead of the planned Watchkeeper retirement date in March 2027. Pollard stated that “with the retirement of the Watchkeeper Mk1, the Army will quickly transition to a new and advanced system that builds on the latest operational lessons and technological innovations.”
Photo: UK Ministry of Defence. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
