UK Shares Stone Cloak Electronic Warfare Technology with Ukraine During Presidential Visit

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a naval base, where the two leaders will announce the sharing of intellectual property for Stone Cloak, an advanced electronic warfare system designed to protect drones from enemy detection. The move represents a significant escalation of Britain's military cooperation with Ukraine, following four years of continuous support since Russia's 2022 invasion.

The Stone Cloak Technology Transfer

Stone Cloak devices are compact electronic jammers, roughly the size of a tablet computer, engineered to block the detection of drones equipped with the technology. The Ministry of Defence has already distributed thousands of these units to Ukrainian forces to enhance their drone operations. By sharing the underlying intellectual property, the UK enables Ukraine to manufacture the devices at scale independently, removing logistical constraints that previously limited deployment.

The jammer technology has been battle-tested in active Ukrainian operations and has proven effective in denying Russian air defence systems the ability to track and target equipped drones. Following successful deployment in Ukraine, the UK has committed to integrating Stone Cloak into its own next-generation weapons systems, including Project Brakestop—a government programme developing low-cost cruise missiles designed to fly like conventional aircraft.

Broader Military Cooperation and Training

During the visit, Burnham and Zelenskyy will meet with more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel who recently completed Exercise Sea Breeze, a multinational maritime training deployment involving 15 countries. The exercise, which concluded in Portland, Dorset, focused on mine countermeasures and Black Sea warfighting capabilities. This practical training reinforces Britain's commitment to strengthening Ukrainian military effectiveness against Russian forces.

Burnham emphasized the permanence of British backing in a statement released before the visit: "Stone Cloak is the best of homegrown British innovation and proven on the frontline, and it will be vital to protecting our security in both our countries." The British government has committed £25 billion in total support to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began, with £16 billion allocated specifically to military assistance.