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Ukraine Drones Conquer Pentagon Drone Race
21 Mar
Summary
- Two Ukrainian firms selected for $1.1B US drone program.
- Shrike 10 Fiber drone uses fiber-optic guidance, immune to EW.
- F10 drone selected for excluding Chinese components.
The Pentagon's $1.1 billion Drone Dominance program has selected two Ukrainian companies, SkyFall and Ukrainian Defense Drones Tech Corporation, as finalists. This initiative aims to reduce reliance on Chinese-made drones and components.
SkyFall's Shrike 10 Fiber drone excelled, scoring 99.3 out of 100. Its fiber-optic guidance system, extending up to 20 km, ensures immunity to electronic warfare. This advanced system allows for a stable video feed and can carry a 1 kg warhead.
Ukrainian Defense Drones Tech Corporation's F10 quadcopter earned a spot by successfully removing Chinese components. The company has localized manufacturing for critical parts, using European suppliers for others, demonstrating a commitment to a non-Chinese supply chain.
The Drone Dominance program will progressively increase drone orders across four phases. The first phase alone involves orders for approximately 30,000 systems, with subsequent phases scaling up to 150,000 units at decreasing per-unit costs.
