Ukraine's battle-tested Magura naval drones to be built in US
Magura drone used by Ukraine to strike ships and infrastructure (photo: Getty Images)
A US manufacturer will begin producing naval drones designed and battle-tested by Ukraine for the first time, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Who will manufacture the drones
The agreement was signed between Portland-based ReconCraft, which manufactures boats for special operations forces, and Ukraine's Uforce, the developer of the Magura drones. The memorandum of understanding was signed last week at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.
The agreement is described as a partnership agreement, under which both companies will provide materials, equipment, and personnel. According to ReconCraft co-founder Joe Silkovski, the goal is to produce hundreds or even thousands of Magura drones annually at facilities in Oregon and South Carolina.
Why the US is interested now
The United States has begun using naval drones in combat after years of testing. This month, US kamikaze drones attacked an Iranian submarine and a naval facility at a naval base in the Strait of Hormuz.
The agreement also comes as the United States and Ukraine expand their defense cooperation. Earlier, Trump said he would consider allowing Ukraine to produce US-made Patriot interceptor missiles, whose American stockpiles were depleted in the Middle East.
The Pentagon is prepared to spend tens of billions of dollars on autonomous systems in the coming years. The war with Iran, which depleted US stocks of expensive munitions, demonstrated the need for cheaper weapons.
What Magura drones can do
Magura drones are unmanned high-speed boats capable of carrying a payload of about 770 kg over a distance of approximately 560 km.
Depending on the configuration, the boats can cost less than $500,000. In addition to strike missions, they can launch aerial drones, conduct mine countermeasure operations, and tow sonar systems to detect submarines.
According to Uforce CEO Oleh Rohynskyi, Ukraine's decision to allow Magura production in the United States is "absolutely key" because it will allow Americans to benefit from tactics and concepts refined over years of war in Ukraine.
The role of Ukrainian drones in the war
Kamikaze drones such as Magura have largely forced Russian warships to withdraw from the Black Sea. They have also struck oil tankers and bridges, while some have even carried missiles to shoot down aircraft and strike ground targets.
Competition in the US market
In the United States, Magura drones will enter an already crowded market for unmanned surface vessels, where numerous defense companies and startups are producing new boats with increasing range and explosive power.
Last year, the Pentagon sent several major US defense companies a list of 12 different Ukrainian drones, asking whether they wanted to manufacture them or cooperate with Ukraine.
Agreements between Kyiv and the United Kingdom, Germany, and Denmark have already resulted in Ukrainian companies operating in those countries, as Europe is moving more quickly to adopt battle-tested technologies.
"We are the first company producing unmanned surface vessels approved by the Ukrainian government to manufacture in America for the success of the US military," said Sean Plankey, head of Uforce USA.
Earlier, new images of Ukraine's Magura V7 unmanned naval drone were released online. A key feature of this model is its claimed ability to engage aerial targets while operating on the water.
In addition, the Ukrainian Book of Records officially recognized five combat records achieved by Ukraine's military intelligence through the use of the Magura family of naval drones.
