US Army buys Ukrainian drones for over $10 million: Key details
Photo: Raybird launch (Wikimedia)
The US Army has signed a contract worth $10.64 million with the American subsidiary of the Ukrainian company Skyeton for the supply of Raybird reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the Pentagon.
What is known about the contract terms
The fixed-price contract was announced on September 18, 2026. It was awarded to Skyeton Inc. from North Las Vegas, Nevada - the American subsidiary of the Ukrainian manufacturer. Only one bid was submitted for the tender.
The estimated completion date for the order is December 15, 2026, while the location of work and funding will be coordinated separately for each order. The contracting party is the US Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, agreement number W58RGZ-26-F-A026.
The US Army has not yet disclosed the number of drones it plans to receive, the recipient unit, the sensor package, or whether the devices are intended for evaluation, personnel training, or combat use.
What attracts the US military to Raybird
According to Skyeton, the maximum takeoff weight of the system is 23 kg, wingspan ranges from 2.96 to 4.2 meters, flight duration is up to 24 hours, and maximum range is 2,500 km with a standard communication channel range of over 200 km.
The drone takes off using a mechanical catapult and returns via parachute with an airbag cushion, requiring no equipped airfield.
In terms of flight duration, Raybird significantly surpasses small tactical UAVs already familiar to American units, including the Puma LE manufactured by AeroVironment, whose endurance does not exceed 6.5 hours.
The manufacturer emphasizes that the system is capable of operating in conjunction with long-range fire systems - HIMARS, CAESAR, and Krab - transmitting target coordinates even under GPS jamming and electronic warfare conditions, although these capabilities are not officially stated contract requirements.
According to Skyeton, Raybird has over 350,000 combat flight hours in Ukraine - a figure the company has been citing since early summer 2026. The system has also gained satellite communication capabilities for beyond-line-of-sight operations.
The question of localizing production of the devices for the American order remains open but is partially clarified. In addition to facilities in Ukraine and Slovakia, in July 2026, Skyeton, Inc. officially announced the creation of its first own production facility in the US - in the city of Fayetteville, North Carolina.
The company is investing over $3.1 million in retrofitting a former Black & Decker plant covering approximately 2,650 square meters near Fayetteville Regional Airport and Fort Bragg base, which is expected to create 162 jobs.
Thus, by the time of the September contract signing, the company's American subsidiary already had both a registered headquarters in Nevada and a declared production facility in North Carolina.
RBC-Ukraine has repeatedly reported on the US Army's adaptation to combat experience in Ukraine. In particular, in August, it was reported that the US Army decided to disband a special strike drone battalion, which had previously been created based on the experience of the war in Ukraine.
