The initial order covers six AR5 drones. Subject to contract signature and final approvals, the first aircraft are expected to enter service later in 2026.
The programme is planned to run for up to 10 years. Tekever will provide support for at least five years, with options to extend.
The AR5 offers longer endurance, improved sensors and higher reliability than the Watchkeeper system it will replace. It can remain airborne for up to 20 hours and carry as much as 50 kg of surveillance equipment.
The aircraft can carry cameras, electro-optical sensors, maritime radar, synthetic aperture radar and electronic intelligence equipment. It is designed to provide commanders with real-time intelligence for battlefield decisions and force protection.
The drone has a maximum take-off weight of 180 kg and is powered by two engines. It has a 7.3-metre wingspan and a 4-metre fuselage.
The AR5 also has satellite communications and an automatic take-off and landing system. It can operate from short or unpaved runways.
The Ministry of Defence said the AR5 has been used by Ukraine’s armed forces in the war with Russia. The government cited that battlefield use as part of the case for selecting the system for the British Army.
“Proven in Ukraine and designed to protect British soldiers globally, we’ve chosen the UK-based Tekever AR5 drone to supply our personnel with kit that will keep them ahead of emerging threats,” Defence Secretary Wes Streeting MP said. “This investment will support our troops on deployment, while driving re-industrialisation and backing British innovation.”
The AR5 will be built at Tekever’s soon-to-open manufacturing facility in Swindon. The full contract is expected to sustain and create hundreds of jobs across the company’s UK sites.
The programme also gives the UK a domestic production base for the Army’s next tactical surveillance fleet. It supports the government’s wider effort to expand defence manufacturing and sovereign industrial capacity.
Watchkeeper has been in British Army service since 2014 and is approaching the end of its operational life. The system was developed through cooperation between Thales and Elbit.
Tekever UK Managing Director Karl Brew said the programme is intended to build a broader sovereign capability. “CORVUS represents a major step change in delivering cutting edge autonomy to the British Army. This isn’t about a platform, it’s about building and sustaining sovereign capability that stays one step ahead of our adversaries.”
“Through CORVUS, TEKEVER aims to create a new type of partnership between government and industry where we will ensure a constant cycle of capability evolution that delivers decisive advantage to our end users,” Brew said. The Ministry of Defence said support for the new capability will be sustained for at least five years, with options to extend.
The procurement will shift the Army’s tactical surveillance capability from Watchkeeper to AR5 through 2029. It will also move production of the replacement fleet to a UK manufacturing site as Britain expands investment in domestic defence capacity.
