Ministers will adapt battlefield counter-drone tactics proven in Ukraine to disrupt criminal drone drops into prisons in England and Wales. The Ministry of Justice confirmed the plan alongside a £6.5 million UK Research and Innovation package to accelerate detection and defeat technologies, with challenge competitions to identify deployable solutions. The announcement was published on 16 January 2026. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones))
The move was set out in Kyiv during events marking the first anniversary of the UK–Ukraine 100 Year Partnership. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian officials before directing work to apply Ukrainian operational lessons to domestic prison security. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones))
Latest official data show 1,712 drone incidents in the year to March 2025, a 43% annual rise and a new peak across prisons in England and Wales. The government has also highlighted a 770% increase between 2019 and 2023 as organised crime groups expanded airborne smuggling. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmpps-annual-digest-april-2024-to-march-2025/hmpps-annual-digest-2024-to-2025--2?utm_source=openai))
Under the cross-government programme, the Ministry of Justice, UK Defence Innovation and UKRI will run high-stakes competitions open to UK and Ukrainian firms to trial next‑generation systems capable of detecting, tracking and bringing down unlawful flights over the prison estate. This approach builds on an innovation challenge the MoJ ran with HMGCC Co‑Creation in November 2025. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones))
The strategy aligns with Defence’s accelerated support for Ukraine’s drone capability. In June 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed a record £350 million allocation to lift deliveries from around 10,000 drones in 2024 to a 100,000 target in 2025, creating a significant base of operational knowledge that the UK now intends to draw on at home. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tenfold-increase-in-uk-drone-deliveries-for-ukraine-at-50-nation-ukraine-summit?utm_source=openai))
Capital works continue in parallel. Government statements point to £40 million for prison security this year, including £10 million on anti‑drone measures such as exterior netting and reinforced windows, with the additional UKRI research funding intended to accelerate technology options for frontline use. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/battlefield-tactics-to-inspire-uk-fight-against-prison-drones))
Operational enforcement has tightened. A July 2025 update from the Ministry of Justice reported targeted counter‑drone operations at HMP Manchester and HMP Wandsworth that led to nine arrests and the recovery of a high‑specification aircraft capable of 40‑minute flights and multiple drops, with further joint activity planned. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/counter-drone-efforts-rise-as-prison-sightings-revealed?utm_source=openai))
Policy Wire analysis: the programme signals a shift from reactive mitigation to a structured test‑and‑adopt cycle. Expect competition briefs to prioritise reliable detection around complex perimeters, rapid alerting into prison control rooms and local policing, and safe defeat options that can be authorised without jeopardising public safety. Governors and suppliers should watch for pilot sites, evaluation criteria and how new systems will integrate with existing command procedures.
Next steps will be set out through competition documentation from the Ministry of Justice, UKRI and UK Defence Innovation, clarifying eligibility, testing windows and procurement routes. Officials are framing the work within the 100 Year Partnership and the government’s wider Plan for Change, linking overseas security cooperation to domestic crime‑reduction goals. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-marks-first-year-of-100-year-partnership-in-kyiv-for-reform?utm_source=openai))