Freeport East supports £200m Ukrainian drone investment in Suffolk

The spend was spelled out at the DSEI Conference in London and Freeport East, a gateway to the UK for inward investors, has spent the last six months working with Ukrspecsystems to explore sites and partnerships in the East of England. The aim is to strengthen supply chains so that both Ukraine and the UK can access the latest UAV technologies.

Ukrspecsystems is the leading Ukrainian-based developer and manufacturer of long-range unmanned aerial systems, which has been providing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Ukrainian Armed Forces for a number of years. The firm also works on products to support applications as diverse as wildfire management and wildlife remote monitoring.

The investment announcement aligns with the ambition of the Government’s new Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 which was published yesterday and includes a focus on making the defence sector an engine for growth and positioning the UK as a leader in defence innovation.

Alongside helping to locate the new facility in Mildenhall, Freeport East has also supported Ukrspecsystems in building links with local supply chain partners across the region and in identifying suitable UAV testing sites, including the Elmsett training centre near Ipswich.

These steps help position both the company and the region for future growth and new opportunities, while creating tangible benefits such as more jobs and investment for local communities.

Steve Beel, CEO at Freeport East, commented: “This is a major investment for the East of England and a real vote of confidence in our region as a place to do business and participate in unique economic clusters. Ukrspecsystems brings market-leading innovation to the UK that will create new opportunities and partnerships for local supply chains and job-seekers.

“The Freeport East area, Port of Felixstowe, A14 corridor, and wider region offers unique strengths for the development of digital and technology-based products and for testing of autonomous aerial transport systems. This investment is also a clear endorsement of the support Freeport East can offer ambitious international firms looking to grow their footprint in the UK.”

Rory Chamberlain, Managing Director UK at Ukrspecsystems, said: “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. Our factory at Mildenhall and flight test and training facility at Elmsett are testament to this commitment.

“We are grateful for the invaluable support and guidance provided by Freeport East to date and look forward to continuing to work with them closely as we seek to expand our footprint in the UK and establish it as a launchpad for export markets.”