Ukraine is ready to sign an agreement with the U.S. that could expand the testing and production of Ukrainian defense technologies in the United States. The document is intended to establish a broader framework for cooperation between Ukrainian defense companies, U.S. manufacturers and the military.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may sign the agreement during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. However, its finalization could take place at a later date.
The practical significance of such cooperation is already being demonstrated by events in the Middle East. At the start of the war with Iran, U.S. forces faced attacks by Shahed one-way attack drones. Ukraine provided the U.S. with interceptor drones and operators to help counter the attacks.
In March, then-U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll contacted Eric Schmidt, founder of U.S. company Perennial Autonomy, which works with drones in Ukraine. He requested 13,000 Merops interceptor drones and 10,000 Bumblebee reconnaissance and strike drones for use in the Middle East.
The drones were delivered to the U.S. military within days, but it took weeks to make them operational. According to CBS News sources, delays in the delivery of Ukrainian components were one of the reasons.
Merops uses AI beacons manufactured by Ukrainian technology company Sine Engineering, as well as Ukrainian warheads. Ukrainian expertise was also required to integrate the drones with U.S. air defense radars before they could be deployed.
These technologies and expertise could become part of the future agreement. According to sources cited by the outlet, it would go beyond individual contracts with several Ukrainian manufacturers. Instead, it would establish a mechanism allowing leading Ukrainian defense companies to work directly with U.S. manufacturers and the military.
At the same time, the U.S. is expanding its own drone procurement program. The U.S. Drone Dominance Program is inviting American and selected foreign companies, primarily Ukrainian ones, to compete for contracts to supply drones to the U.S. military. The program aims to purchase more than 200,000 drones by 2027.
The first winners of separate stages of the program included Ukrainian manufacturer Skyfall, as well as Perennial Autonomy and U.S. company Neros, which has a presence in Ukraine.
According to American investor Deborah Fairlamb, the value of Ukrainian technologies lies not only in the drones themselves. She highlights the role of operators, software, operational planning and the continuous adaptation of systems to battlefield conditions.
