Weak defences warning as Britain's stockpile of military drones would run out within HOURS of a war starting
BRITAIN's military drones would run out within hours of a war starting.
The stockpile, including RAF, Army and Navy weapons, is under 2,000 aircraft.
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2
While the UK has fewer than 2,000 drones - Ukraine's fighters, above, fire off 3,000 to 6,000 a day, according to estimates
Credit: Peter Jordan
Ukraine burns through 3,000 to 6,000 a day, say UK estimates.
Its weapons range from shop-bought quadcopters no bigger than pizza box to long-range bombers that blitz Moscow.
One defence source said: 'The UK has a huge capability gap. Drones are deciding the war in
Ukraine
.
'If either side gets drone superiority, even briefly, we have seen them make gains.
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READ MORE UK NEWS
'The UK knows this. We are
This week, Ukraine hit Moscow missile factories with drones. And footage emerged of a
These are immune to signal jamming as they are tethered to their pilots by fibre-optic cable.
The MoD vowed to start building large, one-way attack drones last year but they are yet to enter production.
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Meanwhile, drones like Russia's Zala Lancet, which loiter until spotting a
target
, are not due until 2027.
Defence chiefs spent £200million on a loitering Fire Shadow drone but scrapped it in 2018.
'IMPOSSIBLE' BOMB Ukraine pins hopes on 'INVINCIBLE' drone to turn tide of war
Most of the UK's drones are designed for surveillance, such as the Navy's new Peregrine spycopters, or for dropping bombs and firing missiles.
The RAF does have Storm Shroud drones which fly alongside jets to blind enemy radars.
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The MoD insisted: 'The UK is well prepared to defend itself.
'We are
investing
in drone technology and operate a variety of large, medium, and small drones across all three services which offer distinct operational capabilities.
"We take the threats we face very seriously and the Strategic Defence
Review
is examining the capabilities we need to continue to keep Britain safe.'
2
Britain's stockpile of fewer than 2,000 military drones would run out within hours of a war starting
Credit: Getty
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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Weak defences warning as Britain's stockpile of military drones would run out within HOURS of a war starting
BRITAIN's military drones would run out within hours of a war starting. The stockpile, including RAF, Army and Navy weapons, is under 2,000 aircraft. Advertisement 2 While the UK has fewer than 2,000 drones - Ukraine's fighters, above, fire off 3,000 to 6,000 a day, according to estimates Credit: Peter Jordan Ukraine burns through 3,000 to 6,000 a day, say UK estimates. Its weapons range from shop-bought quadcopters no bigger than pizza box to long-range bombers that blitz Moscow. One defence source said: 'The UK has a huge capability gap. Drones are deciding the war in Ukraine . 'If either side gets drone superiority, even briefly, we have seen them make gains. Advertisement READ MORE UK NEWS 'The UK knows this. We are This week, Ukraine hit Moscow missile factories with drones. And footage emerged of a These are immune to signal jamming as they are tethered to their pilots by fibre-optic cable. The MoD vowed to start building large, one-way attack drones last year but they are yet to enter production. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Meanwhile, drones like Russia's Zala Lancet, which loiter until spotting a target , are not due until 2027. Defence chiefs spent £200million on a loitering Fire Shadow drone but scrapped it in 2018. 'IMPOSSIBLE' BOMB Ukraine pins hopes on 'INVINCIBLE' drone to turn tide of war Most of the UK's drones are designed for surveillance, such as the Navy's new Peregrine spycopters, or for dropping bombs and firing missiles. The RAF does have Storm Shroud drones which fly alongside jets to blind enemy radars. Advertisement The MoD insisted: 'The UK is well prepared to defend itself. 'We are investing in drone technology and operate a variety of large, medium, and small drones across all three services which offer distinct operational capabilities. "We take the threats we face very seriously and the Strategic Defence Review is examining the capabilities we need to continue to keep Britain safe.' 2 Britain's stockpile of fewer than 2,000 military drones would run out within hours of a war starting Credit: Getty Advertisement
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Ireland to rely on foreign navies for undersea threat detection until 2027, says Tánaiste
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Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Irish Times
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un lashes out over failed warship launch
Kim Jong-un has lashed out at North Korea 's navy after the launch of its largest warship failed, an embarrassing setback as he seeks to modernise the isolated country's naval forces. Mr Kim denounced the unsuccessful launch of the 5,000-tonne naval destroyer at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday as a 'criminal act' caused by 'carelessness', according to state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). During the launch, which Mr Kim attended, the ship became unbalanced and sustained damage to its hull. The report did not specify the cause of the incident or if there were any injuries. Mr Kim called the incident a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism ... [which] could not be tolerated', said KCNA. READ MORE The North Korean leader added that the incident 'brought the dignity and self-respect of our state to a collapse', stressing that the success of the warship was 'a political issue directly related to the authority of the state'. Mr Kim's unusually strong public remarks came as he has endeavoured to modernise the country's surface and underwater naval forces as a pillar of its defences. Late last month, Pyongyang launched its first large-sized destroyer, called the Choe Hyon, which it said was equipped with anti-air and ship weapons systems as well as nuclear-armed ballistic and cruise missile capabilities. It said the ship would enter operation early next year. Seoul's joint chiefs of staff said that the destroyer launched on Wednesday, which had been left lying sideways in the sea, was larger than the Choe Hyon but was probably equipped with similar weapons systems. North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles off its east coast on Thursday as it disclosed the failed launch, according to South Korea's military. A report last week by the 38 North programme at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington noted that the ship was set to be launched sideways from the quay, an unusual method for the country's navy. Previously, North Korea has launched ships using gravitational or floating methods, the analysts wrote, while the April launch used a floating dry-dock. South Korean experts and officials suggested that Pyongyang could have developed the Choe Hyon with assistance from Russia, in exchange for sending troops and munitions to support its war against Ukraine. 'Moscow probably offered some technological help for the warship construction from the beginning stage,' said Cheong Seong-chang, a researcher at the Sejong Institute think tank in Seoul. 'But the dock seems to have been built in haste, and the warship was rushed to be put in the water without thorough examination.' Experts said the Choe Hyon could be equipped with short-range nuclear missiles, though Pyongyang has yet to successfully miniaturise nuclear warheads for deployment. Mr Kim has also identified nuclear-powered submarines as a priority for the country's naval expansion. Mr Cheong said North Korea's disclosure of the incident reflected Mr Kim's divergent ruling style from his father and grandfather, former leaders Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung, who 'used to hide this kind of military accident'. By contrast, Mr Kim was more open, 'probably because he knows that the North's moves are under constant surveillance', added Mr Cheong. 'He hates to see this kind of accident leaked ... so he is using these critical errors to breathe tension into the military, putting officials on alert to prevent any similar accidents.' − Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
