U.K., Latvia Invite Bids to Supply FPV Drones to Ukraine

The United Kingdom and Latvia have commenced a competitive bidding process for the supply of thousands of first-person view (FPV) drones to Ukraine.

This initiative is being undertaken by the newly established Drone Capability Coalition, which was announced by both nations in February with the specific goal of rapidly equipping Ukraine with FPV drones.

On June 3, the bidding process was officially opened, inviting companies to submit proposals to fulfill the drone supply requirements on behalf of the Drone Capability Coalition. The competition seeks to facilitate the production of FPV drones at scale and at a reasonable cost, leveraging the expertise and resources of Western industry partners.

Interested parties can access application details through the Defence Sourcing Portal, with the competition open to industry participants from any nation within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. The deadline for proposal submissions is set for June 28, 2024.

After reviewing the submissions, the Drone Capability Coalition will award contracts to successful companies for drone supply to Ukraine. Based on operational feedback, the coalition plans to increase its drone procurement, potentially issuing larger follow-up orders. Further competitions for FPV drones are planned for 2024, utilizing lessons learned from this competition.

First-person view drones have emerged as a vital asset on the battlefield, particularly in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These drones provide Ukrainian operators with crucial situational awareness, enabling them to effectively target enemy positions, armored vehicles, and ships with precision-guided ordnance.

The Drone Capability Coalition comprises various nations, including the UK, Latvia, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Ukraine, with additional countries considering joining the coalition.

The establishment of the Unmanned Systems Forces by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 6, 2024 is aimed at bolstering its unmanned air, sea, and land systems to counter Russian forces effectively.

In a recent development, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has highlighted the efficacy of its explosively armed FPV drones in countering Russian reconnaissance UAVs. The ministry shared video footage on June 2 capturing an FPV drone engaging and neutralizing a Russian Orlan UAV.