German defence tech firm to make drones in UK

The drone manufacturing plant will support more than 100 skilled jobs, according to Stark

A German defence technology company will soon begin producing drones in the UK, it has been announced.

Stark, which makes the unmanned weapon systems for Nato, is set to open a new 3,700 sq m (40,000 sq ft) factory in Swindon in Wiltshire.

The expansion is expected to create more than 100 skilled jobs and will be the company's first site outside Germany.

Local MP Will Stone said he was proud that Stark would "bring back defence manufacturing" to Swindon, which has a "proud military legacy".

Mike Armstrong, managing director of Stark UK, said both the UK and Germany were "world-leaders in new technology" and the expansion will help "define the battlefields of the future".

"We need rapid and scalable production to protect our people, defend our sovereignty and deter aggression. That means resilient supply chains which stretch across Europe," said Mr Armstrong.

Mr Armstrong said Stark, which was founded in 2024, wanted to take advantage of technological and defence expertise in the UK.

Swindon, which helped produce the Supermarine Spitfire in the Second War, will once again be part of defending Europe, he added.

The company said its flagship loitering munition system 'Virtus', which has vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, has a strike radius of up to 100km (62 miles) and a 5kg weapons payload.

The Virtus drone is capable of taking off from a vertical position, said Stark

"This is the direction of travel: creating high-skilled, well-paid jobs and putting Swindon back at the heart of Britain's industrial future," said Mr Stone, the MP for Swindon North.

"This is just the start," he added.

Swindon Borough Council leader Jim Robbins said the news was a "strong endorsement of our town's growing reputation in advanced manufacturing and innovation.

He said the investment was a "major step forward" in the ambition to position the town "as a national leader in defence advanced manufacturing".

"I'm excited to see this cutting-edge UAV technology take shape right here in Swindon," he added.

The announcement comes as the UK and Germany expand their defence and security relationship, building on the Trinity House Agreement set in 2024.