Ukrainian Drone Manufacturer to Open $250M UK Factory

The Norwich Evening News reported on Monday that Ukrspecsystems, a Ukrainian producer of eight different military and civilian drones, is to build a new 11,000 square meter (118,400 square feet) factory at Mildenhall and a testing center in Elmsett, some 70 kilometers (40 miles) from the eastern English county of Suffolk.

Citing Rory Chamberlain, Ukrspecsystems’ UK managing director, the construction of the facilities is said to be valued at £200 million ($250 million). It is reportedly slated to start next year and is expected to take up to three years to complete.

“Ukrspecsystems is proud to be the first Ukrainian company to commit to a funded plan to invest in infrastructure, jobs and skills in the UK,” Chamberlain said.

The drone manufacturer says that, along with building and assembling the drones in the UK, it will also train and test drone operators using tactics developed on Ukraine’s battlefield, adding that establishing the “factory at Mildenhall and flight test and training facility at Elmsett are testament” to the company’s commitment.

A factor in choosing this location is the upcoming layoff of up to 500 experienced engineers and skilled production workers from the Lotus sports car plant in nearby Hethel in early 2026, which has been hit hard by US tariffs and falling car demand.

Local authorities are said to be offering support to the affected workers and will cooperate with Ukrspecsystems in the recruitment process.

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The UK project is not the only example of the Ukrainian company spreading its wings elsewhere in Europe. In April, SHARK reconnaissance drones were seen being tested in the Czech Republic, and at the end of August 2024, Ukrspecsystems announced on X that it had established a partnership with the Polish aviation and aerospace component manufacturer ALS Systems.

Along with ALS, Ukrspecsystems and the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries (NAUDI) displayed its Shark-M, Mini Shark and PD-2 UAVs at Poland’s MSPO exhibition in September 2024.

In July, the UK announced plans to launch a joint drone production program, with London funding a three-year drone production initiative in cooperation with Ukrainian defense firms.

But it is unclear if Ukrspecsystems’ expansion forms part of that plan.