The Altius 600 is one of two drones the UK is sending to Ukraine (Image: Anduril Industries)
Britain will supply with new attack drones to strike in the Black Sea, it has been announced. The drones are being sent to as part of a nearly £30million deal as the looks to put Kyiv in the strongest possible position for peace talks.
The Altius 600m and Altius 700m drones are loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, which loiter before striking targets. Defence Secretary John Healey visited Andruil, the Anglo-American firm manufacturing the weapons, in Washington DC ahead of meeting his US counterpart at the Pentagon on Thursday. He said: “We are determined to achieve a secure, lasting peace in , which means putting in the strongest possible position to prevent any return to Russian aggression.
The Defence Secretary visited Andruil ahead of meeting his US counterpart at the Pentagon (Image: MOD)
“The UK has already provided more than 10,000 drones to ’s Armed Forces, which have proved vital in disrupting Russian troop advances and targeting positions behind the frontline.
“With a £2.26billion loan from seized Russian assets, plus £1.6billion worth of air defence missiles announced for in the last week, the UK is continuing to show leadership in securing a lasting peace for .”
Manufacturer Andruil says Altius 600m is designed to “accommodate multiple seeker and warhead options while doubling the loitering time and range of current market offerings”.
It says the 700m is designed for advanced and heavier payloads, capable of carrying warheads up to 15kg.
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The announcement comes days after paused sharing intelligence with and suspended all military aid.
Drones have been used to a devastating effect during the including in the Black Sea, where has suffered a series of losses.
Two secret naval drones developed by the UK have been .
Little information has been released on the drones, known as Snapper and Wasp, but experts think they could play an important role in the Black Sea.