- A Declassified investigation has revealed that an Elbit owned subsidiary has sent dozens of drone components, including Watchkeeper engines, to Israel over the past 18 months. Advanced radar systems used by the Watchkeeper have also been exported to Israel by Thales.
- In September 2024 the Government implemented a partial suspension of arms licences to Israel, including for components for drones, due to the clear risk of serious violations of international humanitarian law by Israel in Gaza.
- Following an unprecedented spike in the value of arms licences to Israel immediately after the partial suspension, the Government repeatedly made assurances that these new licences were for military equipment for re-export out of Israel.
- CAAT’s investigations revealed that the largest of these licences, two radar licences to Thales totalling to £120.1m, were likely for Watchkeeper X drone, being sold by Elbit to Romania. A parliamentary question by John Milne MP on 3rd March 2026 confirmed one of these, for re-export, is still extant.
- However, despite repeated Government assurances that the equipment was for re-export, the contract with Romania has not been delivered, and these parts for drones appear to have remained in Israel.
In July 2025 Steven Witherden MP led a letter to the then Foreign Secretary and Business and Trade Secretary co-signed by 56 MPs and Lords, asking for an explanation of these licences. In September 2025 Government Ministers were questioned over the “re-export” licences by the Business and Trade Sub-Committee during an evidence session on arms export licences to Israel.
Charlie Maynard MP asked:
“What burden of proof is on the Government of Israel to demonstrate that they are re-exporting those products, as opposed to using them in Gaza?”
“Why would you not ask for export proof from Israel, so that if it says that it will export these things, it can demonstrate that?”
Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade stated:
“Because our relationship is with the exporter. If there were to be any evidence at any point that that is not where it was ending up, that would be a breach of the licence, and we would be able to revoke.”
The Watchkeeper WK450, is modelled on the Hermes 450 drone which has been “battle-tested” by Israel on Palestinians.
The case of the Watchkeeper radars highlights the broader issue of the complete lack of end-use monitoring of UK arms exports by the government in general. This means that the government makes no effort to ensure that UK arms are not diverted to unauthorised users, a problem also highlighted by the diversion of UK equipment sold to UAE to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.
Katie Fallon, Advocacy Manager at Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
“Despite overwhelming evidence that Israel is committing the most grave of crimes in Gaza, in 2024 the UK government issued licences unprecedented in value for apparent “re-export” out of Israel. These arms licences actively support the Israeli arms industry, including companies such as Elbit Systems, while it plays a critical role in committing genocide in Gaza. Now Israel is breaking contracts to deliver Watchkeeper drones to Romania; drones which include UK components and likely components transferred under these licences.
We have two clear questions for the Department of Business and Trade: where exactly are these drone components now, and what have they been used for?
We call for an immediate investigation into the continuous export of drone components from the UK to Israel since the 2024 partial arms suspension, and for the Government to implement end-use monitoring on UK made equipment for apparent ‘re-export’ out of Israel.”
ENDS
