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US Army orders Ukrainian Raybird surveillance drones in $10.6m deal

Pentagon contracts Skyeton's US subsidiary to supply long-range Raybird reconnaissance drones tested in Ukraine's war with Russia.

newest coverage 1d agosummary written 1d ago4 pieces2 likes & upvotes RedditMastodon

What to know

  • The US Army contracted Skyeton Inc. for $10.64 million to acquire Raybird (ACS-3) long-range surveillance drones.
  • Raybirds can fly up to 24 hours, travel 2,500 km, and transmit live data over 200 km, carrying up to 6 kg of surveillance equipment.
  • The drones have accumulated over 350,000 combat flight hours with Ukraine's military since 2018, used to locate enemy air-defense and long-range weapons.
  • Delivery to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is due by December 15, 2026; the number of drones ordered was not disclosed.

Skyeton Ukrainian drone manufacturer, contract awardeeUS Army Contracting service branch

US Army orders Ukrainian Raybird surveillance drones in $10.6m deal
kyivpost.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage posts

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Sep 22yesterdaynow · 2:56 AM ET
  1. background

    Pentagon awards Skyeton $10.64m contract for Raybird drones — The US Army contracted Skyeton Inc., the US subsidiary of Ukrainian drone manufacturer Skyeton, to supply Raybird long-range reconnaissance drones and supporting equipment to Redstone Arsenal in Alabama by December 15, 2026.

  2. 1

    Deal is reported by outlets covering Ukraine's drone industry

    Coverage highlighted the Raybird's combat record, its 24-hour endurance, 2,500 km range, and Ukraine's expanding defense sector of over 1,000 companies, framing the deal as recognition of Kyiv's battlefield-tested drone expertise.

    “Raybird systems have accumulated more than 350,000 combat flight hours.”
    — Skyeton, Ukrainian drone manufacturer · source

    • Russians don't have any issues reproducing these designs on their own. Shit ton of such drones are downed daily, and they collect them for further study. Fun fact: new rockets for HIMARS in 2023 were jammed successfully by russians the next day after the first use. They quickly studied the remains of the navigation system.

      Heavy_Secret_203r/europe1d agoview on r/europe ↗