• Contract worth up to £400 million will bring TEKEVER’s AR5 long-endurance uncrewed aerial system into service with the British Army
• AR5 will provide persistent, long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, giving commanders greater visibility and understanding of the battlefield
• CORVUS will anchor TEKEVER’s growing UK sovereign capability across engineering, manufacturing, training and operational support
Bristol, United Kingdom, 16 September 2026: TEKEVER has today signed a contract worth up to £400 million with the UK Ministry of Defence under Project CORVUS to deliver its AR5 long-endurance uncrewed aerial system to the British Army, bringing a new
generation of persistent, long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability into service.
The signing follows the Ministry of Defence's decision to select TEKEVER's AR5 capability, built on operational experience, including more than 50,000 operational flight hours accumulated in Ukraine since 2022. Project CORVUS will deliver persistent intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to support British forces across a range of operational environments.
The contract further strengthens TEKEVER's long-term commitment to the United Kingdom through its £400 million OVERMATCH strategic investment programme. Manufacturing of the AR5 platform will be centred at the company's Swindon facility and supported by its
growing engineering, training and operational footprint across the UK, alongside a consortium of British SME partners.
On the awarding of the contract, Karl Brew, TEKEVER UK, managing director, said: "The signing of this contract marks the beginning of a new chapter in our partnership with the British Army and the UK Ministry of Defence. CORVUS is more than a surveillance system;
it represents a fundamentally different approach to delivering military capability, one that continuously evolves to stay ahead of operational demands.
"CORVUS will provide the British Army with a highly capable, sovereign surveillance system while supporting skilled jobs, innovation and industrial growth across the UK. We look forward to working closely with the Ministry of Defence and our industry partners
to deliver a capability which will continue to evolve throughout its service life."
Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, added: “Our soldiers deserve the best technology, and that's what we're delivering. From small drones giving troops eyes on the enemy, to the AR5 offering commanders better intelligence over the battlefield,
we're transforming the Army's ability to see, understand and act first. “
“This is defence procurement that backs British industry, creates skilled jobs and keeps our Armed Forces ahead of our adversaries."
CORVUS is expected to begin entering service with the British Army later this year, delivering enhanced endurance, improved reliability and advanced intelligence-gathering capabilities to support operational decision-making and help protect British personnel.