Germany funds 50,000 strike drones for Ukraine

Germany is funding ​50,000 attack drones for Ukraine, a source familiar with the matter said, in ‌an order that marks one of the biggest known purchases of drones for Kyiv by a Western government.

Ukraine has relied heavily on a range of unmanned vehicles during the more than four-year-old war against Russia, ​and it is producing millions of drones annually as Ukrainian forces conduct thousands ​of drone strikes each day.

The attack drone order involves Shrike first-person-view (FPV) drones ⁠made by major Ukrainian manufacturer SkyFall and equipped with software from U.S. defence technology ​firm Auterion designed to autonomously track and hit moving targets in the final phase of the ​flight.

Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier confirmed the size of the contract, adding that it was worth about €90 million ($103 million) and was funded by a European country. Meier told Reuters some of the drones had already ​been delivered to Ukraine's government with the rest due for dispatch this year.

SkyFall confirmed Germany's ​involvement, but said the company could not comment on the details of the purchase.

Germany's Defence Ministry declined ‌to ⁠comment, citing operational security.

Ukraine's Defence Ministry also declined to comment.


-Reuters