Germany funds 50,000 drones for Ukraine

Germany is financing the procurement of 50,000 attack drones for Ukraine, a move described by a source as one of the most substantial drone purchases for Kyiv by a Western power to date.

The contract involves Shrike first-person-view (FPV) unmanned aerial vehicles produced by the prominent Ukrainian manufacturer SkyFall, reports Reuters.

These drones are equipped with software from the US-based defence technology firm Auterion, which enables them to autonomously lock onto and strike moving targets during the final phase of flight.

Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier confirmed the scale of the deal, valuing it at approximately €90 million ($103 million), and noted it is funded by a European nation.

According to Meier, a portion of the fleet has already reached Ukraine, with the rest scheduled for delivery before the end of the year.

While SkyFall has verified Germany’s involvement in the initiative, the company has refrained from discussing specific details of the acquisition. Similarly, the defence ministries of both Germany and Ukraine have declined to comment, with Berlin citing operational security protocols.

Ukraine’s reliance on unmanned technology has grown significantly throughout the four-year war against Russia, with the country now manufacturing millions of drones annually to support thousands of daily strikes.

The Shrike model, which has been active service since 2023, is increasingly gaining international recognition. A variant known as the Shrike 10-F, developed by SkyFall alongside the British firm Skycutter, recently secured the top position in the first round of a Pentagon-led competition.

This contest is part of a broader $1.1 billion initiative to source hundreds of thousands of one-way attack drones.

Meier stated that Auterion is currently assisting in the delivery of a total of 100,000 drones to Ukraine this year through multiple partnerships and Western government funding. This figure includes a $1.01 billion support package.