Ukraine's Shrike Fiber drone wins top place in Pentagon drone procurement program

Ukrainian company Sky Fall's Shrike Fiber drone took first place in the Pentagon's Drone Dominance selection in partnership with U.K.-based Skycutter, Defender Media reported March 7.

The Ukrainian-designed fiber-optic First Person View (FPV) drone won the first "Guantlet" of the procurement program in a submission by Skycutter, unnamed sources familiar with the matter said.

Skycutter has been selected for orders, along with other top submissions, including Ukrainian Defense Drones, another manufacturer of battle-tested drones.

The Pentagon's Drone Dominance site lists Skycutter as the first out of 11 "performers to receive orders." The submission received the top score of 99.3.

Skycutter ranked first in tests on long-range performance and second in tests on urban strikes. In the urban test, the drone scored perfectly alongside nine others, with the ranking ordered based on user feedback.

Ukraine has sought cooperation with allies, leveraging battlefield experience and domestically produced arms as invaluable assets.

With the U.S. at war with Iran, Ukraine has been open to helping Washington and its Middle Eastern allies, who have faced retaliation from Tehran.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 5 that Kyiv will provide the U.S. with "the necessary resources" to help counter Iranian Shahed drones.

Zelensky ordered Ukraine's government to develop options to support Gulf countries facing Iranian drone and missile attacks, he said on March 4.

Russia regularly sends out Shahed-type drones in mass attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. Early on March 7, Russia launched 480 drones, including Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles.

Russia first received the drone technology from Tehran, and Iran has used Shahed drones in its strikes as the U.S., Israel, and Iran continue fighting.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is supplying Ukraine-tested anti-drone systems to partners in the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reported on March 7.

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