Ukraine has agreed to export unmanned aerial vehicles to the United States, which will participate in the Pentagon's Drone Dominance program, a source familiar with the arrangement told "Reuters".
According to him, six Ukrainian companies have already received permission to export about 100 drones each. The source requested anonymity, and there has been no official comment from Kiev or Washington at this time.
The agreement is part of broader negotiations between Ukraine and the US over Ukrainian unmanned systems, which have attracted international attention for their effective use in the war against Russia. The combat experience accumulated by Ukrainian manufacturers has sparked increased interest from other countries, which want to study the technology and purchase samples for testing.
Ukraine has already signed agreements for the supply of drones with a number of European and Middle Eastern countries. Kiev has also taken steps to ease restrictions on arms exports imposed during the war, although the government continues to exercise strict control over what military equipment is exported.
The Drone Dominance program is a multi-billion dollar competition organized by the U.S. Department of Defense. In it, small combat drones from dozens of manufacturers undergo tests that simulate complex combat conditions.
The first stage of the program was won by a drone jointly developed by the Ukrainian company Skyfall and the British company Skycutter, reports "Reuters".