StormShroud Drone

A government press release on May 2 informs that the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer "hails game changing UK-made RAF drones" [1]. The Prime Minister made the outlandish claims that the initiative "further bolsters UK national security" while "hundreds of highly skilled jobs are being supported by the RAF's new cutting-edge UK made drones, known as 'StormShroud', which come into operation today (Friday 2 May)." [2] Starmer further claimed this as "Investment in our defence is an investment in this country's future". He asserted that this is "safeguarding our economic and national security by putting money back in the pockets of hard-working British people and protecting them for generations to come."

The statement goes on to say that this is "the latest boost to the UK's defence capabilities as the armed forces reap the benefits from Ukraine's battlefield experience, and comes as the UK continues to play a leading role in peace negotiations, including building momentum in talks between leaders in Rome last weekend [at the funeral of the Pope - Ed]. The UK is also driving forward Coalition of the Willing planning as well as accelerating UK-Ukrainian defence industrial cooperation."

The Starmer government is further compounding the lies that "the UK is continuing to play a leading role in peace negotiations". Britain has never played any role in peace negotiations in Ukraine but on the contrary successive governments, including the present Labour government, have done everything to intervene in Ukraine over the last 20 years. Since Russia's military operations started they have been in the forefront of escalating NATO's proxy war to prolong the conflict in the interests of their militarised industries and imperialist ruling elite. The reality is that Britain is still plotting with other EU pro-war leaders that Starmer calls the "coalition of the willing" to openly occupy Ukraine themselves and seize its resources in rivalry with the US by suddenly complaining that the US under Trump has imperialist ambitions in Ukraine and elsewhere. This will only further escalate the Anglo/US NATO proxy war with Russia and not bring about peace for the Ukrainian or Russian people.

This was further revealed by an article in The Telegraph on May 5 [3] reporting that Starmer and the Labour cabinet are secretly preparing for war with Russia. The article says they are preparing a plan, apparently formulated by a body called the Cabinet Office's Resilience Directorate, that "will direct the Prime Minister and Cabinet on how to run a wartime government and when they should seek shelter in the Downing Street bunker or outside London". This is because of, as it chillingly explains, "fears that it is not ready for war" with Russia over Britain's "support for Ukraine, which may soon include British troops on the ground".

For certain, it cannot be said that the Starmer government's promotion of investment in drones is about "safeguarding our economic and national security" and "protecting working people for generations to come". Rather it is about Britain's continuing interference and warmongering abroad. Starmer is not "putting money back in the pockets of hard-working British people" but is lining the pockets of the Anglo-US oligarchs and war industries that are making huge profits out of war in Ukraine and Israel.

Britain is criminally supporting Israel in its genocide against the Palestinians with weapons supplies and logistics, as well as carrying out the bombing Yemen and the Yemeni people who are standing with the Palestinians. Starmer's "defence" and "security" aims are in escalating Britain's interventions world-wide alongside the US and NATO. This warmongering in fact is at the expense of the working class and people and the rights of all in society and their welfare.

The context of Starmer's announcement

Protestors gathered outside RAF Waddington to oppose planned US drone flights in 2021.

In January, Starmer travelled to Kyiv, Ukraine, and signed with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "landmark 100 Year Partnership" in a vain attempt to ensure that Ukraine remains NATO's proxy against Russia.

The press release said that the Treaty will "bolster military collaboration on maritime security" through a new "framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security". It will "bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships", significantly mentioning "agri-tech, space and drones". The government will "build on the £12.8 billion package of support the UK has given Ukraine, including £7.8bn of military assistance", a commitment "for £3bn in military aid a year until as long as it takes". The statement concludes that the UK and Ukraine "will use an annual high-level Strategic Dialogue to ensure progress on the partnership for decades to come."

As Workers' Weekly commented at the time: "In particular, the British warmongers are frustrated and want to continue to lay the foundations to continue the war. Significantly, the agreement mentions the Azov Sea which is a Russian internal sea. This was one of Britain's provocations against Russia that led to the war with Ukraine in 2022. In 2021 Britain signed an agreement with Ukraine in Odessa on its warship HMS Defender to 'assist in building naval bases around the Azov Sea and the Black Sea regions' with Babcock International, a British Marine, Nuclear, Land and Aviation arms manufacturer 'as the prime industrial partner' as well as also sending warships to Ukraine. This latest agreement deliberately continues that British provocation before any peace agreement is agreed between Russia and Ukraine." [4]

The "cutting-edge" RAF "StormShroud" war drones, as well as sea drones that have already been supplied for three years to Ukraine, are not defensive weapons but weapons that have and are being tested by Britain in NATO's proxy war against Russia in Ukraine.

Stepping up the opposition to militarisation

The working class and people cannot accept that this conflict, in which Britain is playing such a negative and nefarious role, must continue against Russia "to the last Ukrainian". They cannot accept that troops be allowed to intervene as "peacekeepers", endangering even greater conflicts in Europe. What the government is doing is not "safeguarding our economic and national security", nor "putting money back in the pockets of hard-working British people and protecting them for generations to come". These outlandish claims are aimed at justifying war with Russia, just as they are supporting Israel in its genocidal war against the Palestinians, the bombing of the people of Yemen, and wars elsewhere that are interests of the Anglo-US oligarchs and their imperialist system.

This is not about peace and security for the British people. The fact is peace and security are indivisible, and militarisation only leads to insecurity and war. This is what is being further revealed to the world's people who stand in truth for peace and security and are stepping up their opposition to war and working for peace. The anti-war movement in Britain is facing the crucial task of continuing to oppose the increasing militarisation of the British economy and oppose and expose their criminal military alliances and war crimes. The working class and people of Britain have the duty to step up their opposition to Britain's involvement in the US-led NATO alliance, the military alliances in the EU, in Ukraine, and with the genocidal Israeli regime. This is a vital question for the future of the British people and that of humanity.

Notes
1. Press release - Prime Minister hails game changing UK-made RAF drones
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-hails-game-changing-uk-made-raf-drones
2. While Tekever, the manufacturer of the drones, is headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, the platform for StormShroud, the Tekever AR3, is manufactured in west Wales and Southampton, delivered through a contract reflecting the platform's proven capabilities in Ukraine. The AR3 will carry Leonardo UK's BriteStorm electronic warfare payload, which is manufactured in Luton. It features radar jamming capability that disrupts enemy Integrated Air Defence Systems, improving the survival rate and operational effectiveness of our crewed aircraft. StormShroud has been developed in the UK by the RAF's Rapid Capabilities Office, the Catalyst team in Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), Defence Science and Technology Laboratories (DSTL), and UK industry. See European Security & Defence:
https://euro-sd.com/2025/05/major-news/43940/raf-introduces-stormshroud/
3. "Starmer prepares for attack by Russia", May 5, The Telegraph:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/05/05/starmer-prepares-for-attack-by-russia/
4. UK and Ukraine sign "Landmark 100 Year Partnership Agreement" Starmer's Vain Attempt to Ensure Ukraine Remains NATO's Proxy against Russia,Workers' Weekly, January 25 2025
https://www.rcpbml.org.uk/wwie-25/ww25-01/ww25-01-01.htm

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