The UK Ministry of Defence is investing up to £400 million in the Tekever AR5 surveillance drone to replace the British Army's troubled Watchkeeper fleet, which is being retired years ahead of schedule after a poor operational record. The move follows lessons from Ukraine, where drone technology has advanced rapidly and Watchkeeper's capabilities were judged to have fallen behind, prompting the Army to launch a replacement programme, codenamed Project Corvus, last year.

An initial order of six AR5 drones has been placed, rising to as many as 24 by 2029, with production based at a new facility in Swindon and entry into service expected later this year, subject to final contract sign-off. The AR5, built by Portugal-based Tekever, can fly for up to 20 hours, carry a 50kg payload, and operate from rough terrain, offering electro-optical, infrared, radar and signals-intelligence options. Watchkeeper, which entered service in 2014 with a planned lifespan to 2042, saw little operational use and lost at least seven aircraft in incidents before its 2024 retirement was announced by then-defence secretary John Healey.