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Uncrewed Systems: Testing

Asked by James McMurdockIndependentMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 1 July 2026UIN 12332

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Ministry of Defence's press release entitled Europe's largest drone testing centre opens in Swindon to boost defence innovation, published on 12 June 2026, what estimate he has made of the number of drone systems expected to be tested annually at the new Uncrewed Systems Centre.

Answered by Luke Pollard

Now the Defence Uncrewed System Centre (DUSC) has been established we expect frontline commands, industry, innovators and allies to utilise the facilities as we move towards more autonomy and uncrewed systems being deployed across our forces. We have not made an estimate of numbers, but we know the demand from across defence is real and growing.

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