'Proud' Fareham drone firm Windracers bolsters Britain's biggest ever support package to Ukraine against Putin
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Windracers is an emerging firm and is among Fareham’s many growing defence businesses
High-skilled engineers in Fareham will be bolstering the UK’s largest ever drone support package for Ukraine - as Russia’s illegal war enters its fifth year.
Windracers will be one of the three firms delivering at least 120,000 drones for Kyiv. CEO Simon Muderack said: “Windracers is proud to be part of this historic announcement from the UK Government, led by Defence Secretary John Healey, as one of the companies selected to provide un-crewed systems to Ukraine.
“As an independent UK-born autonomous sovereign capability, Windracers Ultra provides Ukraine with a resilient, dual-use heavy-lift platform offering long-range operational air support.”
Windracers, based in Brunel Way, rapidly expanded its factory in September last year, creating 50 new jobs. Previously described by founder and executive chairman Stephen Wright as the “jeep of the skies”, the Ultra dual-use heavy lift drone can carry up to 150kg across a range of up to 1,000km.
It’s built to handle extreme weather conditions and be used in a military transport capacity. These systems and similar designs have been used to great effect in the Russia-Ukraine war, which started on February 24, 2022.
Defence secretary John Healey is travelling to Berlin, Germany, o co-chair the 34th meeting of the 50-nation strong Ukraine Defence Contact Group. The new government package is the largest of its kind ever supplied by the UK. It includes thousands of long-range strike drones, intelligence and reconnaissance drones, logistics drones and maritime capabilities, which are all battle-proven on Ukraine’s frontline.
These capabilities are being used in defence and counter-offensive measures against Russia. Roughly 6,500 one-way attack drones were launched by Russia against Ukraine in March 2026. The new package by the UK’s wider £3bn military support for Ukraine this year, which includes providing thousands of artillery rounds and air defence missiles.
Mr Healey said: “In the fifth year of Putin’s brutal war, the UK is stepping up further and providing the highest ever number of drones for Ukraine this year. This big boost of battle-proven drones will give Ukrainian forces the capability they need to defend their people and fight back against Russian aggression.
“With eyes on the Middle East in recent weeks, Putin wants us to be distracted, but Ukrainians continue to fight with huge courage and nothing will distract us from continuing to stand with them for as long as it takes to secure peace.”