---
title: "Britain pledges to deliver 100,000 drones to Ukraine by April 2026"
description: "LONDON, June 4 (Reuters) - Britain pledged on Wednesday to supply 100,000 drones to Ukraine by the end of the current financial year in April 2026, marking a tenfold increase, after saying the unmanned aerial vehicles had transformed the way wars are fought."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-06-04-britain-pledges-to-deliver-100000-drones-to-ukraine-by-april-2026/"
published: "2025-06-04T04:36:48"
updated: "2025-06-04T04:36:49"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 180
---

# Britain pledges to deliver 100,000 drones to Ukraine by April 2026

> LONDON, June 4 (Reuters) - Britain pledged on Wednesday to supply 100,000 drones to Ukraine by the end of the current financial year in April 2026, marking a tenfold increase, after saying the unmanned aerial vehicles had transformed the way wars are fought.

By Reuters · Published 4 June 2025, 06:36 SAST · Updated 4 June 2025, 06:36 SAST

## Key points
- In a bold move to out-tech the Kremlin, the UK has rolled out a £350 million drone package as part of its £4.5 billion military support for Ukraine, proving that when it comes to defense, it’s not just about muscle but also a high-flying game of aerial chess.
- UK government endorses Strategic Defence Review, aiming for a more lethal, tech-driven military to address emerging threats.
- Learning from Ukraine's conflict, Britain emphasizes the transformative role of drones in modern warfare.
- A £350 million drone package is part of a larger £4.5 billion military support initiative for Ukraine.
- Defence Secretary John Healey announces increased support, including 140,000 artillery shells and £247 million for training Ukrainian troops.

## Content

The government on Monday endorsed an independently-produced [Strategic Defence Review](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL2N3S505X&linkedFromStory=true), which calls for a more lethal, tech-driven army to counter emerging threats, including possible Russian aggression.

Britain, one of Ukraine's staunchest Western supporters, plans to learn from Kyiv's more than three-year fight against [Russian invasion](https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-russia-war/), during which drones have transformed the battlefield.

The 350-million-pound ($473 million) drone package is part of a broader 4.5-billion-pound military support initiative for Ukraine, the government said.

Defence Secretary John Healey will make the announcement at a 50-nation Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting in Brussels, co-hosted with Germany.

"The UK is stepping up its support for Ukraine by delivering hundreds of thousands more drones this year and completing a major milestone in the delivery of critical artillery ammunition," Healey said in a statement ahead of the meeting.

In addition to the drone deliveries, Britain said it has completed the shipment of 140,000 artillery shells to Ukraine since January and will spend a further 247 million pounds this year training Ukrainian troops.

($1 = 0.7402 pounds)

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by Mark Heinrich)