Tekever AR5
Tekever's long-endurance fixed-wing surveillance drone, chosen in 2026 to replace the British Army's Watchkeeper.
On 16 September, Britain selected Tekever AR5 to replace the Army’s Watchkeeper fleet under a deal capped at £400m, beginning with six aircraft.
Last refreshed: 1 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why did Britain's Watchkeeper replacement end up as a single-supplier deal?
Timeline for Tekever AR5
UK awards Tekever up to £400m for AR5
Drones: Industry & DefenceBackground
Tekever AR5 is a long-endurance fixed-wing surveillance drone built for land, border and maritime observation. It can carry up to 50kg of cameras and sensors, operate for up to 20 hours, and use unprepared airstrips for launch and recovery.
The aircraft sits in Tekever’s surveillance-drone range and supports missions that need persistent collection beyond the reach of short-duration systems. Britain’s September 2026 selection to replace Watchkeeper made the AR5 part of the Army’s future uncrewed surveillance capability.
AR5 replaces Watchkeeper
On 16 September, the AR5 became Britain’s chosen successor to Watchkeeper, a British Army drone fleet in service since 2014. The Ministry of Defence’s agreement with Tekever can supply up to 24 AR5 aircraft by 2029, starting with six.
The selection gives the AR5 a central role in Project Corvus, Britain’s effort to replace Watchkeeper. The procurement moved to direct negotiations after the May 2026 competition received no compliant bids; FlightGlobal reported a £336m pre-VAT sole-source award in July.
What drone is replacing the British Army's Watchkeeper?
How long can the Tekever AR5 stay in the air?
Why was the AR5 contract awarded without competition?
How much did the MoD expect the Watchkeeper replacement to cost?
