Tekever will open its latest and largest production site in the UK next year, after confirming plans to establish a new facility in Swindon, Wiltshire.
The unmanned aerial system (UAS) producer says the commitment to opening a fourth UK site underscores its “efforts to bring scaled manufacturing of current and future platforms to the country, ensuring an increasingly efficient and resilient supply chain”.
Tekever last year launched a £400 million ($545 million)-plus UK expansion activity named Overmatch, pledging to create more than 1,000 new jobs.
To be opened in mid-2026 following refurbishment, the 23,600sq m (254,000sq ft) Sir Norman Foster-designed Spectrum Building will host “all elements of Tekever’s production lifecycle, from rapid prototyping to the development of new platform concepts”.
That will include building its AR3 vehicle, including an upgraded Evo variant which was launched at the DSEI show in London earlier this month, and the larger AR5.
The UK Royal Air Force has used the AR3 as the basis for its StormShroud airborne jammer. Revealed earlier this year, the system – which uses Leonardo UK’s BriteStorm technology – has achieved a ‘minimum deployable capability’, against a planned 24-unit acquisition.
With a maximum take-off weight of 180kg (397lb), the twin-engined AR5 is currently being operated in support of the UK government’s Home Office to perform maritime surveillance of the English Channel.
Once established at the Swindon site, Tekever will conduct UAS validation flights and deliver pilot training from the Science and Innovation Park at nearby Wroughton.
Karl Brew, head of the company’s defence unit, says the investment will “enable our business to operate more efficiently as we continue to scale our ambitions in line with our fervent commitment to transforming the UK’s defence industry into a leading powerhouse on the global stage”.
In a separate development, Flyby Technology – developer of the Jackal UAS – also has announced its intention to establish a new facility in the town, which Will Stone, member of parliament for Swindon North, describes as wanting to establish a “drone cluster of excellence”.
