Western-made AR3 drones travel from Welsh factory to Ukrainian front lines

Tekever, a Portuguese defence firm, produces the AR3 surveillance drone at a private airfield on the Welsh coast, where the quiet runway and open airspace facilitate flight testing. After assembly, the drones are boxed, shipped to Portugal and then moved across Europe, ultimately reaching a remote forest near Dnipro after more than 24 hours of transport. Soldiers from Ukraine’s 15th Artillery Reconnaissance “Black Forest” Brigade receive the aircraft, set up a catapult launch system, and perform a final test flight under camouflage before deploying the drone on operational missions to locate high-value Russian targets.

The brigade’s call-signed platoon commander, known as Sarmat, stresses that Western drones let Ukrainian forces fly farther and detect more, filling gaps that domestic production cannot meet. Tekever runs a round-the-clock hotline, using frontline feedback to adjust designs, such as altering the engine to improve climb rate, a speed of response far quicker than typical Western procurement cycles. The collaboration illustrates how real-time combat experience is reshaping both Ukrainian tactics and NATO’s approach to rapid weapons development. Both sides view the arrangement as essential: Ukraine gains advanced reconnaissance capability, while Western manufacturers learn how to keep pace with fast-changing enemy defenses.