The Government will look to apply battle-tested tactics used against Russian drone forces, adapted to protect UK prisons, as part of a new security drive to crackdown on criminals who use drones to smuggle drugs, weapons and mobile phones behind bars.
The UK has provided assistance to ensure Ukraine is at the forefront of drone and counter-drone technology, having committed a record £350 million in 2025 to bolster their supply of drones from a target of 10,000 in 2024 to 100,000 by the end of December 2025, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
The Deputy Prime Minister made the announcement following meetings with President Zelenskyy and Deputy Defence Minister Yurii Myronenko, while representing the UK at an international conference in Kyiv, to mark the first anniversary of the UK Government’s 100-Year Partnership with Ukraine.
To coincide with this, UK Research and Innovation has announced an additional £6.5 million to help accelerate anti-drone research and development. This is part of a cross-government initiative to test next-generation technology that would allow prison staff to detect and bring down illegal drones out of the sky.
The Ministry of Justice is working with UK Defence Innovation and UK Research and Innovation to launch high-stakes competitions challenging international businesses – including those from Britain and Ukraine – to develop cutting-edge technologies to help counter the scourge of illegal drones and drugs behind bars.
