Ukrainian drone company to open factory in East of England

Ukrspecsystems, a developer and manufacturer of long-range unmanned aerial systems, revealed at the DSEI Conference in London on Tuesday, September 9 that it will open an 11,000m2 factory in Mildenhall, Suffolk. The investment is expected to create around 500 jobs, including apprenticeships, and will be supported by a UAV testing and training centre in Elmsett, near Ipswich. Minister for veterans and people Alistair Carns with Ukrspecsystems (Image: Freeport East) Steve Beel, chief executive of Freeport East, said: "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." Ukrspecsystems has supplied UAVs to the Ukrainian armed forces and also develops drone technology for civilian uses, including wildfire management and wildlife monitoring. The investment follows six months of collaboration with Freeport East, one of the UK's Government-backed Industrial Strategy Zones.

The partnership has focused on site selection, supply chain development, and securing UAV testing locations in the East of England. Rory Chamberlain, UK managing director 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 launch pad for export markets." The announcement aligns with the UK Government's Defence Industrial Strategy 2025, published on Monday, September 8, which includes a focus on making the defence sector an engine for growth and positioning the UK as a leader in defence innovation. As part of the project, Freeport East has supported Ukrspecsystems in building partnerships with local supply chains and identifying suitable UAV testing sites.

The investment is expected to bring long-term economic benefits to the region.