Western Countries Compete for Ukraine Drone Cooperation; Ukraine Plans to Establish Around Ten Defense Export Hubs in Europe
The Russia-Ukraine war is profoundly reshaping the pace of contemporary military technology development. Today, representatives from numerous Western nations—including the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, and France—frequently travel to Kyiv to push forward cooperation agreements and technology transfers. Although Ukraine may one day become a competitor in the drone sector for these countries, currently, all parties are more focused on leveraging battlefield-proven technological achievements. A recent drill in Estonia demonstrated that just over a dozen Ukrainian drone operators destroyed two NATO battalions within 24 hours—an event that has drawn widespread attention.
According to *Echo Economique* (France) on April 4, collaboration with Ukraine’s battle-tested drone technologies is “extremely competitive, carrying the highest risk level, and accompanied by real espionage threats.” With Ukraine’s domestic defense industry advancing rapidly and unwilling to wait for external players to catch up, early involvement has become a practical choice for many Western European nations.
In this competitive landscape, U.S. enterprises and institutions are at the forefront. Ukraine is openly pricing its data and technologies. The U.S. Department of Defense has issued procurement solicitations exceeding $1 billion to two Ukrainian drone companies: General Cherry and Ukrainian Defense Drones Tech. Meanwhile, Brave1, a key innovation platform in Kyiv, has led 16 startups to the U.S. to explore opportunities and attract investors and industrial partners such as L3 Harris.
Multiple American firms are also accelerating their presence. Anduril is discussing local production localization with Ukraine’s Defense Council and negotiating access to a radio frequency database with Kara Dag. Powerus, a U.S. drone company, backed by Donald Trump Jr., is attempting to acquire Ukrainian technology in hopes of securing contracts with the Pentagon. At the same time, Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater and a prominent paramilitary figure, has joined the board of Ukrainian firm Swarmer, which went public on Nasdaq in mid-March.
In the UK, in mid-March London announced a military partnership with Kyiv, covering collaboration with Britain’s defense industrial ecosystem and providing funding for an AI Excellence Center under Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. Ukrainian company UkrSpecSystems is currently building production facilities in the UK.
In Germany, the German Embassy in Ukraine recently stated it will fund the production of 15,000 intercept drones manufactured by German Quantum Systems—previously invested in by Ukrainian firm WIY Drones. Additionally, Tythan plans to open a factory in Ukraine by June, capable of producing 3,000 drones per day; meanwhile, Ukrainian company Skyeto has hired a veteran executive who spent 30 years at Airbus to advance production efforts in Germany. These are only a few examples among numerous ongoing negotiations.
France is also stepping up action. Following prior commitments to provide Rafale fighters, Thales radars, SAMP/T missiles, and Safran-guided bombs, the French government is now pushing additional cooperative initiatives. After French officials visited Kyiv in February and a Ukrainian delegation attended the Paris Defense Innovation Forum, France’s Ministry of Armed Forces announced the establishment of the "Brave1-France-Ukraine Military Innovation Cluster" to promote joint project development. The French Defense Innovation Agency emphasized that the focus lies in supporting industrial collaboration—especially in counter-drone technologies, where Ukraine already holds advantages, and both sides possess testing capabilities.
Ukraine plans to establish around ten export hubs across Europe by 2026. France is not yet included in this list. However, French stakeholders believe they still hold significant advantages—particularly in defense industrial foundations and export capacity. Industry insiders point out that some of the most advanced drones are actually joint Franco-Ukrainian developments, because stand-alone designs developed solely in Ukraine may not meet the security standards of other nations.
The entire French defense industry is now fully engaged. In 2023, the French Association of Land and Air Defense Industries organized around 30 companies to visit Kyiv and set up a permanent office there. By June this year, Ukraine will also host a national pavilion exceeding 500 square meters at Eurosatory.
On specific technical cooperation, French companies including Cerbair, Arquus, and Delair are expanding their partnerships with Ukraine, covering areas such as drones, acoustic sensors, and anti-jamming navigation systems.
Industry experts note that the battlefield in Ukraine is fundamentally altering the rhythm of military technology development. The iteration cycle between drone applications and electronic warfare countermeasures has now shortened to less than six weeks. As Shahed-type drones increasingly gain resistance to electronic warfare, the front lines are becoming more static. The latest trend is the emergence of high-speed drones capable of flying up to 800 km/h, shifting combat modes rapidly from “soft kill” to “hard kill.” Under these circumstances, cooperation is seen as a critical strategic choice.
From the French perspective, unlike the Anglo-American model emphasizing equipment sales, France favors shared production capacity and bilateral industrial collaboration. Nevertheless, the French Association of Land and Air Defense Industries also acknowledges that, in the medium term, Ukraine’s progress in drones, ground robotics, and electronic warfare could pose direct competition—making joint development even more pragmatic.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is tightening control over technology flows. Reports indicate that Ukraine’s security agencies have tightened regulations, requiring any acquisition of Ukrainian technology to be based on intergovernmental political agreements.
Source: rfi
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861543469328579/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author