Unmanned surface vessels from Wuhan will be mass-produced in the United States, potentially reshaping the military technology landscape among China, the United States, and Russia.

Historic Collaboration: Ukraine's Magura Maritime Drones to Be Mass-Produced in the U.S.

According to The Wall Street Journal, ReconCraft, a specialty fast boat manufacturer based in Portland, USA, will begin producing for the first time the "Magura" maritime unmanned vessels designed by Ukraine and battle-tested in real combat. The cooperation memorandum was signed at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

The agreement between ReconCraft and Uforce, the Ukrainian manufacturer of the "Magura," is a "cooperative partnership" involving joint provision of materials, equipment, and labor. ReconCraft’s co-founder stated that the goal is to achieve annual production of hundreds or even thousands of Magura drones at factories in Oregon and South Carolina.

This collaboration comes as the U.S. Pentagon plans to invest tens of billions of dollars in developing autonomous weapon systems over the next few years. Due to the recent conflict with Iran consuming large quantities of expensive munitions, the U.S. military urgently needs lower-cost, rapidly deployable alternatives. The Magura drone costs less than $500,000, offering exceptional cost-effectiveness.

The Magura is a high-speed, 7.6-meter-long unmanned vessel capable of carrying over 770 kilograms of payload and traveling more than 560 kilometers. In addition to strike missions, it can launch drones, conduct mine clearance operations, or tow sonar systems to detect submarines. During the Russia-Ukraine conflict, such sea-based suicide drones forced the Russian Black Sea Fleet to significantly retreat.

The Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. said this collaboration sets an important precedent for Ukrainian defense technology entering global markets, likely inspiring other American companies to follow suit. Currently, Ukrainian defense firms have already begun operations in the UK, Germany, and Denmark, as European nations are eager to acquire military technologies proven in actual combat.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871374984749068/

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