{
 "slug": "uk-mod-awards-tekever-ar5-contract-watchkeeper-replacement-six-aircraft-24-by-2029-gbp-400-million-no-in-service-date",
 "title": "UK Signs the Tekever AR5 Watchkeeper Replacement Contract — Six Aircraft First, Up to 24 by 2029 Under a GBP 400 Million Ceiling",
 "url": "https://www.grosswald.org/uk-mod-awards-tekever-ar5-contract-watchkeeper-replacement-six-aircraft-24-by-2029-gbp-400-million-no-in-service-date/",
 "canonical": "https://www.grosswald.org/uk-mod-awards-tekever-ar5-contract-watchkeeper-replacement-six-aircraft-24-by-2029-gbp-400-million-no-in-service-date/",
 "type": "dispatch",
 "published": "2026-09-16T19:56:00.000+02:00",
 "updated": "2026-09-22T19:57:29.000+02:00",
 "excerpt": "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLondon, 16 September 2026\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKey points\n\n\n * The Ministry of Defence announced on 16 September that it had awarded Tekever the contract for the British Army's long-endurance surveillance drone, worth up to GBP 400 million: an initial order of six AR5 aircraft, rising to as many as 24 by 2029\n * The aircraft carries up to 50 kilograms of cameras and sensors and will be built at a new Tekever factory in Swindon; the ministry says the company will support more than 1,000 skilled jobs ac",
 "countries": [],
 "domains": [
  "industry"
 ],
 "capabilities": [
  "uncrewed-autonomy"
 ],
 "tags": [
  "defense-industry",
  "drones-uav"
 ],
 "sources": [],
 "entities": [
  "nato",
  "united-kingdom"
 ],
 "inferred": {
  "countries": [
   "united-kingdom"
  ],
  "domains": [
   "alliance-policy"
  ],
  "capabilities": []
 }
}