Leonardo DRS Launches DRS UK to Manufacture Tactical Radios for European Market

WASHINGTON — Leonardo DRS has unveiled a new United Kingdom‑based subsidiary, DRS UK, which will start local production of tactical radios, the company said Monday.

“The purpose‑built site enlarges DRS’s manufacturing footprint and provides a dedicated local hub to serve UK defence customers, industry partners and system integrators,” Leonardo DRS said in a news release, which offered no further details on the facility or expected production volume.

According to the release, the new subsidiary will help meet UK requirements for counter‑drone capabilities, air‑defence and active protection systems. It will also act as a “strategic hub” for DRS’s tactical radio operations across Europe.

“Establishing DRS UK and creating a full local tactical radio capability strengthens our ability to support customers and partners with proximity, responsiveness and manufacturing capacity needed to meet evolving operational requirements,” said Leonardo DRS CEO John Baylouny. “This investment enables closer collaboration with UK industry partners and integrators to deliver counter‑UAS, air‑defence and force‑protection solutions that help protect the warfighter.”

The new UK entity occupies a distinctive position as DRS’s European subsidiary, itself the U.S. arm of Italian defence conglomerate Leonardo. In a recent interview with Breaking Defense, Baylouny noted that Europe—like the United States—is looking to acquire necessary weapons as quickly as possible and has become technology‑agnostic regarding the country of origin.

“Ultimately, they have technology gaps that can be filled with product solutions from the U.S. or elsewhere, and those can be licensed to provide an indigenous capability,” he said in June. “Our growth strategy in these markets therefore consists of two pillars: selling products or solutions, licensing them, or a combination of both.”

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