While Ukraine has become an expert in drone development, having made incredible progress in the field of unmanned aerial systems, the United States has reportedly sought the support of Ukrainian companies to manufacture their own devices.
Local companies are unable to meet the requirements of the US military, reports the Wall Street Journal (WS), prompting the US Department of Defense to seek Kiev's help in drone development. The US Armed Forces are showing particular interest in technologies that are quickly operational and have already proven themselves on the battlefield.
American development processes, far too long
The WSJ quotes a Pentagon official who recently stated that Ukrainian companies “develop, test and deploy new systems in a matter of weeks". This is a speed that's far more advantageous than the lengthy development processes of American defense companies, notes the site Watson. According to the American daily, the Department of Defense has already contacted Ukrainian manufacturers with the aim of initiating possible future collaborations.
The co-founder of Californian drone developer CX2, Nathan Mintz, supports this approach: “No American company can compete with Ukraine. We just know that their devices work. They have the ultimate laboratory in which their devices are tested inside out.”
It remains to be seen whether, in this climate of political tension between Washington and Kiev, cooperation in the field of drones can emerge.
(MH with Manon Pierre - Source: Watson - Illustration: © Unsplash)
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