F-Drones delivers 2,000 FPV F10 drones to the US Army under the Drone Dominance Program

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As part of a wider push to modernise the Armed Forces with close to 200,000 new uncrewed systems by 2027, the Ukrainian firm F-Drones has supplied the US Army with 2,000 new FPV F10 drones. The company itself confirmed the delivery to the local outlet Militarnyi. According to the information provided, these drones will undergo assessments within the relevant acceptance process; once that is completed, it will clear the way for US personnel to begin training on their operation.

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Acceptance process and the prospect of further US Army orders

Adding further context, the report published by the aforementioned outlet states that F-Drones is now awaiting the outcome of the acceptance process, as well as a potential follow-on order from the US Army for up to 1,000 additional units. If that occurs, it would represent a major success for what is described as the first Ukrainian-origin uncrewed system to be exported to that institution.

At this point, it is worth noting that the deliveries made so far fall under the so-called Drone Dominance Program, specifically within Gauntlet I.

Drone Dominance Program: Gauntlet I and Gauntlet II deliveries

In connection with the above, Ukrainian analysts have highlighted that, as part of Gauntlet II, F-Drones plans to deliver a further 120 uncrewed systems, which will be allocated to troop training.

Even so, over the medium term, successfully passing the trials could translate into agreements for as many as 9,000 drones in total to equip the US Army. This contract, like other potential export deals from Ukraine’s defence industry, would benefit from the introduction of new mechanisms set out by Kyiv to make such agreements easier to conclude.

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Production capacity advantages and US supply-chain restrictions

Against this backdrop, opportunities for Ukrainian companies to supply drones to the US Armed Forces are expected to be plentiful while the Pentagon continues building its own industrial network focused on producing this type of capability.

Given that the United States is still at an early stage of this effort, analysts in both countries have pointed to a significant current gap in the number of units produced-one that favours Kyiv. Ukraine’s present capacity is estimated to enable the manufacture of around 500,000 uncrewed systems per month.

Another factor that could also work in Ukraine’s favour concerns the limits the United States has placed on its manufacturers by requiring them to use domestically made components, while specifically banning components originating from China. While the objective of building a national supply chain is commendable over the long term, it cannot be overlooked that the country will initially face considerable obstacles in obtaining the resources needed to achieve it-a challenge that extends beyond drones themselves.

Images used for illustrative purposes

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