Latvian-UK led Drone Coalition to deliver 30 000 drones to Ukraine, 12 000 of which are Latvian-made

Within the International Drone Coalition, contracts were made for nearly 54 million EUR worth of supplies from the International Drone Fund in order to provide Ukraine with 30 000 drones. Two Latvian companies will supply around 12 000 drones worth 17 million EUR. This important step was announced on 9 January by the British Defence Minister John Healey and the Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds at the meeting of the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group in Ramstein. 

"The Drone Coalition has made a significant contribution to the development of Latvia's drone industry, supply security and strengthening of the economy. The international success of Latvian companies, including the selection of two Latvian companies for the UK drone procurement, is a testament to the high quality of our technology. The drone industry is constantly adapting through experience and feedback, and its development is a resource not only for supporting Ukraine, but also for Latvia's defence and economy. Investments in the defence sector encourage the return of funding to the national economy, underlining the importance of local companies in the country’s economy and in strengthening security," said Andris Sprūds, Latvian Defence Minister.

Latvia, in agreeing to co-lead the Drone Coalition with the UK, agreed as well last year that the UK would take on the coordination of the coalition's common fund and joint procurements. The fund was officially created on 10 July 2024.

Coalition member states contribute to the common fund, which is dedicated to joint procurements in support of Ukraine. The Drone Coalition is committed to regular joint procurements to ensure continuity of supply of UAVs to Ukraine. Latvia contributed 5 million EUR to the common fund in 2024. 

The first joint procurement received 265 applications. Drone Coalition member state experts evaluated all the applications and selected 30 companies to advance to the next round. In the second round, the candidates met face-to-face with the coalition's panel of experts to verify the ability of the enterprises to deliver the promised products on time, in sufficient volume and quality. After the second round, 15 companies advanced to tests in Latvia, of which five successfully passed the tests and were selected for the procurement. Two of these five are Latvian entrepreneurs.

The Drone Coalition aims to provide the drones, technological support and personnel training Ukraine needs. The commitment provides for the delivery of combat drones of different capabilities to Ukraine, designed to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

The Coalition consists of 17 member countries - Latvia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

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