Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Defence Drone Strategy

Monday 20 May 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK is making progress on its defence drone strategy, focusing on building a sovereign industrial ecosystem for uncrewed procurement.
  • The government has delivered 4,000 drones to Ukraine and plans to send more in the near future.
  • Directed energy weapons, such as the DragonFire laser weapon, are being procured to defend against drone threats.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Philip Hollobone Con
Ukraine Defence
Context

There are concerns about the progress and implementation details of the UK's defense drone strategy.

Question

What progress has been made on the delivery of the UK defence drone strategy? I am concerned about how effectively this strategy is being implemented, especially after launching it in February. Specifically, what steps have been taken to build a sovereign industrial ecosystem for uncrewed procurement?

Answer from James Cartlidge

We are making excellent progress on implementing the defence drone strategy. Our priority is to build a sovereign industrial ecosystem for uncrewed procurement at scale for the British armed forces. We have delivered 4,000 drones to Ukraine and many more will be sent in the coming months.

Answered
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Q2 Philip Hollobone Con
Defence
Context

Concerns about counter-drone technologies are growing, particularly in relation to the effectiveness of such technologies in defending armed forces.

Question

Does my hon. Friend agree that a key priority must be counter-drone technology to defend our forces? Does he also agree that directed energy weapons will play a crucial role in this regard?

Answer from James Cartlidge

My hon. Friend raises two excellent points: our drone strategy must include a focus on defending against drone threats, and directed energy weapons will be key in this regard. We have announced the procurement of laser weapon DragonFire to defend our forces quickly.

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Q3 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Defence Northern Ireland
Context

There is a desire for Northern Ireland's skilled workforce to be involved in the UK defense drone strategy.

Question

What has been done to ensure that the skills of Northern Ireland's workforce are used for the benefit of the whole United Kingdom? Specifically, what actions have been taken or are planned to involve Northern Ireland's expertise in this strategy?

Answer from James Cartlidge

Northern Ireland is very much part of our defence industry. Just a few weeks ago, I was in Belfast at Thales factory manufacturing weapons that will be key for future orders and exports for the British Army.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific actions or plans to involve Northern Ireland's skilled workforce were not detailed.

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