UK Pledges 500M Air Defence Boost For Ukraine
The United Kingdom has pledged a 500M British pound air defence support package for Ukraine, Defence Secretary John Healey announced at NATO headquarters in Brussels, marking a significant expansion of London’s military aid amid continued Russian aerial attacks.
The funding is aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s ability to defend against missile and drone strikes, particularly on civilian infrastructure and energy targets, as the conflict with Russia enters its fourth year.
What the Air Defence Package Includes
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the new support boost includes several key elements:
- 150M pounds allocated to NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) to accelerate delivery of US-made air defence interceptors to Ukraine.
- Delivery of 1,000 lightweight multirole missiles built in Belfast, supporting Ukraine’s short-range defence against drones and missile threats.
- A 390M pound agreement to transfer production and support of Rapid Ranger launchers and command vehicles to Ukrainian control.
- Additional deliveries of 1,200 air defence missiles and 200,000 rounds of artillery ammunition through the Air Defence Consortium.
Officials said the package is meant to address urgent capability gaps and to help NATO allies sustain long-term defence cooperation with Kyiv.
UK and NATO Context
Healey made the announcement during a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels, where allies discussed defence investment, industrial output and collective support for Ukraine’s ongoing security needs.
The PURL mechanism, to which the UK’s P150M contribution will go, is designed to ensure a continuous supply of weapons purchased from the United States reaches Ukrainian forces. Total allied contributions to the PURL programme exceed 4.5 billion dollars, according to NATO and US officials.
Ukraine’s Air Defence Needs
Russian forces have sustained frequent strikes on Ukrainian cities and key infrastructure with drones, ballistic missiles and guided munitions. Ukrainian military officials and Western analysts have repeatedly stressed the need for robust layered air defence to protect population centres and critical assets. NATO’s collective support has focused on short-range and medium-range systems to help Ukraine respond to these threats effectively.
Broader UK Support
This latest commitment adds to a series of UK military aid packages to Ukraine. In 2025 the UK announced a large order of air defence missiles and systems under multi-billion pound arrangements, including production in British facilities and delivery of thousands of munitions to Ukrainian forces.
UK support has also included loans and financial assistance to fund procurement of air defence and other weapons, part of a wider effort by London to maintain sustained material support for Kyiv’s defence.
What Comes Next
Officials say significant deliveries under the new 500M pound package will occur in the coming months, with emphasis on rapid fielding of capabilities. Continued alliance coordination through NATO and mechanisms like PURL is expected to remain central to Western support efforts.
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