100 jobs to be created as drone company Stark plans new factory
The move will create around 100 jobs for the town.
The Swindon factory will be the first facility Stark has outside of Germany and will build the company's AI-assisted unmanned drones.
Mike Armstrong, managing director of Stark UK, said: 'The UK and Germany are world leaders in new technology that will define the battlefields of the future. We need rapid and scalable production to protect our people, defend our sovereignty and deter aggression. That means resilient supply chains which stretch across Europe.'
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'That is why Stark has chosen the UK as our first production location outside of Germany – taking advantage of the vast technological, industrial and defence expertise that exists here to create AI-powered, unmanned systems to defend Europe and NATO.'
Will Stone, MP for Swindon North, himself a former soldier and at one time a defence sector 'business champion' for the government, said: "I'm proud to be working alongside STARK to bring defence manufacturing back to Swindon, a town with a proud military legacy and key producer of the iconic Supermarine Spitfire.
It's fitting that the defence is returning to our town. This is the direction of travel: creating high-skilled, well-paid jobs and putting Swindon back at the heart of Britain's industrial future. This is just the start, with more businesses to follow."
The 40,000 square foot factory will be in north central Swindon.
Stark was set up only last year, partly as a response to Russia's 2023 invasion of Ukraine. Its 'Virtus' drone has a strike range of up to 100 km, and it carries a five-kilogram payload.
Mr Stone said the move was aligned with the government's increased spending on defence and its ambition to make the UK a leader of innovation in NATO, expressed in the Strategic Defence Review.
Swindon Borough Council leader Councillor Jim Robbins was also very pleased at the announcement. He said: 'This is fantastic news for Swindon and a strong endorsement of our town's growing reputation in advanced manufacturing and innovation.
Stark's investment is a major step forward in our ambition to position Swindon as a national leader in advanced defence manufacturing.
'I'd like to personally thank Swindon North MP, Will Stone, who has played a pivotal role in bringing this investment to our town. I'm excited to see this cutting-edge UAV technology take shape right here in Swindon.'
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