DVD 2026: UK announces first Recce Strike contracts
The Tekever AR5 UAS showcased at the DSEI 2025 defence exhibition in London. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard announced the first Recce Strike contracts during a speech on the first day of the Defence Vehicle Demonstration (DVD) 2026 exhibition held in Millbrook, UK, on 16-17 September.
He said three small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) had been awarded contracts with a combined value of GBP16 million (over USD21 million) for more than 1,000 small intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to provide soldiers with battlefield tactical awareness.
These include 245 FOXE-NATO unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) from Hampshire-based Evolve Dynamics. The UASs weigh less than 250 g and are equipped with dual 4K electro-optical/infrared sensors for day/night ISR, with an endurance of 35 minutes.
Another contract is for 670 UAVs from Surrey-based Marlborough Communications Limited that the company says can be deployed in less than 40 seconds, with a maximum speed of 72 km/h and an endurance of 40 minutes. The UAVs carry high-resolution visual and radiometric cameras in modular sensor packages.
The third SME contract is for 110 Sonora UAVs from a partnership between Exeter-based Brigantes Consulting and Texas-based Harmattan AI designed for training soldiers before they use similar UAVs in real operations.
The three small UAV contracts were delivered by the UK National Armaments Director Group as part of Project Rapstone, the British Army's programme to bring new technology to soldiers faster, aiming to double the service's fighting power by 2027 and delivering new equipment from industry to the frontline within 24 months.
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