The UK has announced the retirement of its Watchkeeper Mk 1 drones by March 2025 as part of a broader effort to modernise the Armed Forces and adapt to evolving threats.
The decision, unveiled by Defence Secretary John Healey, reflects the rapid pace of technological advancements in unmanned aerial systems and lessons learned from the war in Ukraine.
In his Statement by the Defence Secretary John Healey to the House of Commons on Wednesday 20 November, he said:
Alongside this Statement, I have laid a WMS to outline the detail of my decommissioning decisions. These include:
46 Watchkeeper Mk1s – a 14-year-old Army drone which technology has overtaken.
Healey outlined the rationale for retiring the Watchkeeper system, stating:
“A modern army must self-evidently have a modern drone capability able to operate in the most challenging environments. Following the retirement of Watchkeeper Mk 1, the Army will rapidly switch to a new advanced capability, drawing on the most recent operational lessons and technological developments.”
Introduced in 2010, the Watchkeeper programme faced significant delays and cost overruns, becoming a symbol of the challenges in fielding new technology. Despite its potential to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, the system often struggled to meet operational requirements.
The decommissioning of the Watchkeeper is part of a broader initiative to retire outdated equipment across the UK Armed Forces, a move set to save up to £500 million over five years. These savings will be reinvested into defence, with Healey emphasising: “We face increasing global threats—war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, and technology changing the nature of warfare. Defence needs increased resilience and readiness for the future.”
The Army is expected to replace the Watchkeeper with a more advanced drone system that can operate effectively in contested environments. Healey noted: “These decisions deliver better value for money and ensure we are in a better position to modernise and strengthen UK defence.”
While Watchkeeper’s retirement signifies the end of a troubled chapter in UK defence procurement, it opens the door for next-generation technologies to enhance the British Army’s operational effectiveness.
Photo: Peter Russell LBIPP/MOD
Sources: UK Government; ukdj.