Germany is funding the purchase of 50,000 attack drones for Ukraine. The move marks one of the largest publicly reported drone procurement programmes by a Western government since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
A source familiar with the matter said the order involves Shrike first-person-view (FPV) drones manufactured by Ukrainian company SkyFall. The drones are equipped with autonomous targeting software developed by U.S. defence technology firm Auterion.
Auterion Chief Executive Lorenz Meier confirmed the size of the contract, valued at around €90 million ($103 million), adding that it was financed by a European country. SkyFall later confirmed Germany was the funding nation.
Meier said some of the drones have already been delivered to Ukraine, with the remaining units expected to arrive before the end of the year.
The drones are designed to autonomously track and strike moving targets during the final stage of flight, enhancing their effectiveness on the battlefield.
Germany's Defence Ministry declined to comment, citing operational security, while Ukraine's Defence Ministry also declined to provide details.
Ukraine has increasingly relied on drones throughout the more than four-year war, producing millions of unmanned aerial vehicles annually and carrying out thousands of drone strikes each day.
The Shrike platform has been in operational use since 2023 and has recently attracted international attention.
A version developed jointly by SkyFall and UK-based Skycutter topped the first round of a Pentagon competition aimed at selecting low-cost attack drones under a $1.1 billion procurement initiative. Western support grows
Meier said Auterion is helping supply around 100,000 drones to Ukraine this year through partnerships with multiple manufacturers and funding from several Western governments.
The total includes a $50 million Pentagon-funded programme that delivered 33,000 drones to Ukraine.
Last month, the United Kingdom also announced plans to provide 150,000 drones to Ukraine this year as part of a broader £752 million ($1 billion) military assistance package, reflecting the growing role of unmanned systems in the conflict.
AnewZ has launched dedicated Azerbaijani-language digital platforms, making its journalism more accessible to Azerbaijani-speaking audiences....
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum gets underway on 13 July in Azerbaijan under the theme "The Mission of the Media in Promoting Peace: Restoring Truth...
The United States and Iran have significantly escalated their conflict, exchanging heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region. Iran claim...
AnewZ has launched dedicated Azerbaijani-language digital platforms, making its journalism more accessible to Azerbaijani-speaking audiences.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum gets underway on 13 July in Azerbaijan under the theme "The Mission of the Media in Promoting Peace: Restoring Truth and Rebuilding Trust". The event brings together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 53 countries.
The United States and Iran have significantly escalated their conflict, exchanging heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region. Iran claims it has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
At least six people, including a nine-year-old girl, were killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, 12 July, Palestinian health officials said.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum will bring together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 54 countries in Azerbaijan's historic city of Shusha on 13-14 July, to discuss journalism’s role in peacebuilding, restoring public trust and tackling challenges.
The U.S. has launched fresh strikes on Iran after Tehran targeted a container ship and said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also claimed to have expanded attacks on U.S. military facilities across the Gulf.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promised to avenge the killing of his father, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran and Washington had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities this week.
Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit the eastern coast of mainland China this year, brought heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and landslides after making landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated to safety ahead of the storm.
China has maintained its highest-level rainstorm warning after Typhoon Bavi made landfall on the country's eastern coast, urging large-scale evacuations and emergency preparations across several provinces amid fears of severe flooding and landslides
The United States and Iran have significantly escalated their conflict, exchanging heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region. Iran claims it has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum gets underway on 13 July in Azerbaijan under the theme "The Mission of the Media in Promoting Peace: Restoring Truth and Rebuilding Trust". The event brings together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 53 countries.
Russia and Ukraine reported fresh attacks across multiple fronts over the weekend, with both sides claiming military gains and targeting key infrastructure as the war showed no signs of easing.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum will bring together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 54 countries in Azerbaijan's historic city of Shusha on 13-14 July, to discuss journalism’s role in peacebuilding, restoring public trust and tackling challenges.
Two men were killed and six other people were injured in a shooting at Toronto's Salsa on St. Clair festival on Saturday night, police said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment