EU announces two new drone technology hubs, backed by Ukrainian know-how
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The EU is set to sign a defense industry pact with Ukraine by the end of 2026 and draw on Kyiv's war experience to set up new drone technology hubs in Europe by next year, the EU's Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis announced on Oct. 30.
"I am pleased to take part in the historic announcement of the first two pilot European Drone Technology hubs, to be established in 2027," Dombrovskis said at NATO's FUSE event in Riga.
"In developing drones and counter-drone systems, Europe has one significant advantage: our partnership with Ukraine," Dombrovskis said.
The two drone hubs, to be set up in Latvia and the Netherlands, are part of the EU's defense project called DECODER, dedicated to bolstering Europe's drone production capacity.
The project is led by the European bloc but involves two non-EU members, Ukraine and Norway.
Ukraine's "hard-won battlefield experience can help us accelerate innovation and strengthen our own drone systems," Dombrovskis said.
The commissioner also mentioned the recently established EU-Ukraine drone alliance, a forum intended to bring together drone manufacturers from Ukraine and the EU.
Building on that, Dombrovskis said the EU aims to "sign the EU-Ukraine Defense Industry Pact" by the end of 2026.
"It will make it easier to set up joint ventures, transfer technology, and integrate Ukraine's defense industry into Europe's defense technological and industrial base," Dombrovskis said.
