Norway, Britain team up to donate micro-drones to Ukraine

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON - (AA) - Norway announced that the UK will purchase Norwegian-made Black Hornet micro-drones to help Ukraine fight Russia, the Norwegian Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

The micro-drones are estimated at 90 million Norwegian kroner ($9.1 million), it said.

Norway has contributed 400 million kroner through a UK-led fund for the package that will ensure training of the Ukrainian military and the purchase of the Black Hornet systems with spare parts and transport, according to the statement.

The two countries decided to go ahead with the initiative after Ukrainian authorities requested the equipment to help against Russia’s invasion.

The Norwegian-developed drone is a global market leader and is used for surveillance and target identification, and it is operating in a number of countries, including the US, UK, and several other NATO member countries.

It is perfect for combat in urban areas, easy to operate, robust, difficult to detect, and reliable, according to Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram.

Also, 100 million kroner will be invested in a system that will combat Russian drones from a British-owned firm.

"Norway and the UK remain determined to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine. These cutting-edge drones will help give Ukraine's troops a vital advantage on the battlefield as they fight to defend their country against (Russia President Vladimir) Putin's brutal and unprovoked invasion," said UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

Gram said the agreement indicates “that we stand by our commitment to continue supporting Ukraine, but it also entails a new direction for how Western countries support their fight. Until now we and our allies have mostly donated from our own stocks.”