Freeport East Joins Defence Minister at Ukrainian Drone Factory Opening in Suffolk

This week, Freeport East attended the official opening of the new production and R&D facility in Suffolk operated by Ukrainian drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems, alongside Luke Pollard MP, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence. The opening marks a significant milestone in the growing UK–Ukraine partnership in defence innovation and advanced manufacturing.

The opening follows Ukrspecsystems’ £200 million investment in East Anglia, supported by Freeport East. It showcases the potential for collaboration across the UK’s military, SME, commercial, and educational ecosystem, all in line with the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy.

The programme featured a formal opening ceremony, a guided tour of the new factory showcasing advanced drone technologies, and a roundtable discussion led by the Minister, bringing together representatives from government and industry. Discussions focused on strengthening international cooperation, building resilient supply chains, and supporting long-term collaboration in advanced and autonomous systems.

The UK Minister said the opening of the factory demonstrated the importance of sustained engagement with Ukrainian partners and the role that innovation-led investment can play in driving economic growth, skills development, and international cooperation.

Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said:“Our resolve to support for Ukraine is stronger than ever, and we are backing Ukraine’s defiant Armed Forces as they fight for peace.

“Ukrspecsystems’ new factory is a vote of confidence in UK support and underlines the deepening cooperation between our nations’ defence industries. This investment will create up to 500 new jobs in the East of England, drive defence as an engine for growth, and help Ukraine defend itself against Putin’s aggression.”

Representatives from Freeport East described the opening as further evidence of the Freeport’s role as a gateway for inward investment, supporting the transition of international partnerships from commitment to operational delivery, and enabling collaborations that deliver benefits for both the UK and its partners. With the East of England having significant capability and expertise in relevant sectors, including telecommunications, autonomous vehicles and data analytics, there are strong prospects to enable growing economic clusters in the region linked to this investment. The investment is already impacting across Suffolk with suppliers from as afar a field as Felixstowe already lined up to contribute to the supply chain.

Steve Beel, CEO of Freeport East, said: “This visit is a strong demonstration of what international collaboration can achieve. Freeport East is proud to support partnerships that combine innovation, advanced manufacturing and shared values, while delivering real economic and industrial benefits for the UK. Working alongside Ukrspecsystems, we are helping to build resilient supply chains, create high-value jobs in East Anglia and strengthen the UK’s capability in emerging autonomous technologies. It is a clear example of how freeports can act as gateways for globally significant investment and long-term collaboration.”

The opening of the facility builds on Freeport East’s work with Ukrspecsystems, which, alongside the new manufacturing facility in Mildenhall is also setting up a testing and training centre in Elmsett, near Ipswich. Together, these developments are expected to support around 500 jobs, including apprenticeships, and strengthen UK capability in unmanned and autonomous systems.

The strength of the collaboration underpinning the factory opening has also received international recognition. Joint work between Freeport East and Ukrspecsystems has been shortlisted for an award at the fDi Intelligence European Investment Impact Awards 2026, recognising excellence in cross-border investment and partnership.

Rory Chamberlain, Managing Director at Ukrspecsystems UK, commented: “Four years on from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this factory delivers what matters: secure supply, secure resource, and sustained support for Ukraine. By establishing production in the UK, Ukrspecsystems are increasing the resilience of the UK’s defence industrial base, and providing a trusted supply chain that ensures that the drones relied upon by the Ukrainian Armed Forces can be built and scaled without interruption.

“Delivered with UK and Ukrainian Government support and in partnership with British SMEs, this is ‘Made with Ukraine’ in action – embodying the UK-Ukraine 100-Year Partnership through real industrial capability, happening now in East Anglia.”

The opening of the factory underlines the shared ambition of the UK and Ukraine to deepen economic ties, support innovation, and build long-term industrial partnerships that deliver mutual benefit.