- Shrike 10 Fiber outperformed opponents, scoring greater than ten factors greater
- F10 drone earns Pentagon contract resulting from eliminating Chinese language elements successfully
- Fiber-optic steerage makes the Shrike drone resilient to digital warfare
The Pentagon has not too long ago chosen two Ukrainian drone producers as finalists in its $1.1 billion Drone Dominance program.
For years, Chinese language producer DJI has dominated the worldwide small drone market, however the US army is now actively searching for alternate options that don’t depend on elements sourced from China.
The primary part of the competitors chosen 12 firms for contract negotiations, and two Ukrainian companies — SkyFall and Ukrainian Protection Drones Tech Company — had been included on that record.
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Ukrainian drones skips Chinese language elements
The highest finisher was the Shrike 10 Fiber, a fiber-optic FPV drone developed by Ukrainian firm SkyFall in partnership with British agency Skycutter.
The system scored 99.3 factors out of 100, ending greater than ten factors forward of its nearest competitor, an American firm, Neros.
The drone employs fiber-optic steerage slightly than conventional radio frequencies, making it invulnerable to digital warfare countermeasures.
The fiber-optic spool extends 20 km, guaranteeing a steady video feed all through the flight.
It carries as much as 1 kilogram of warhead mass. SkyFall declined to touch upon its participation, asking to attend for official bulletins.
The sixth-place finisher, Ukrainian Protection Drones Tech Company, offered a distinct worth proposition to American procurement officers.
The corporate’s F10 strike quadcopter scored 72.9 factors and earned a spot among the many 11 winners of the primary part that may divide an preliminary $150 million procurement price range.
What to learn subsequent
The quadcopter was chosen largely as a result of the corporate has systematically eradicated Chinese language elements from its provide chain.
After starting drone manufacturing in 2023 with Chinese language-sourced components, the corporate localized carbon body and antenna manufacturing in 2024.
By 2025, it had expanded to manufacturing flight controllers, velocity controllers, and video transmission techniques in-house or by means of European suppliers.
The Drone Dominance program is structured as a four-stage competitors — the primary part will end in orders for about 30,000 techniques at $5,000 per drone.
The primary-place finisher will obtain as much as 2500 orders, whereas the eleventh and Twelfth-place finishers will get 1,500 and 1,400 orders, respectively.
Subsequent phases will improve order portions whereas lowering per-unit price targets and the variety of collaborating firms
Section two will procure 60,000 drones at $5,000 every from 10 firms, whereas part three will buy 100,000 drones at $3,000 every from seven firms.
The ultimate part will order 150,000 drones at $2,300 every from simply 5 firms.
Two different Ukrainian-connected entities, Drone Battle Group and Common Chereshnya, additionally participated however didn’t safe a spot among the many 12 winners.
By way of Defender Media / Defender Media
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