Combat drones from Ukraine for testing in the US: memorandum paves the way for closer cooperation

A joint memorandum of intent between the United States and Ukraine is set to pave the way for much closer cooperation on unmanned systems and combat drones. According to a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Ukrainian aerial, ground and naval drones are to be exported to the US in future so that the US military can test and evaluate them.

This is the first agreement of its kind between the two countries, RFE/RL reports, citing sources familiar with the arrangement. For the time being, it does not involve direct procurement. Instead, Ukrainian drone platforms are to be tested systematically; the lessons learned are to feed into future Pentagon procurement programmes, above all the “Drone Dominance” initiative.

Joint production of Ukrainian combat drones possible

In the longer term, however, the cooperation could go considerably further. According to RFE/RL, the agreement also lays the groundwork for joint production of Ukrainian combat drones in the US. The background: the Pentagon is highly interested in the low-cost Ukrainian systems, which have been tested under real combat conditions and have proven themselves in the war against Russia .

At the same time, the two countries are expanding their industrial cooperation. US shipbuilder Reconcraft and Ukrainian drone developer Uforce recently agreed to manufacture the combat-proven Magura naval drones in the US. Production is eventually set to rise to several hundred to a thousand systems per year; in future, this could also supply the US Navy.

The cooperation gives Washington faster access to innovative drone technology. Ukraine, in turn, is further integrating its defence industry into Western supply and production chains.