US Defence Firm’s Pakistan Drone Deal Raises Regional Security Concerns Over Ukrainian Technology

US defence company Powerus has offered Pakistan access to Ukrainian drone technology under a new deal with the Pakistan Army, raising concerns over regional security and the revival of US-Pakistan defence cooperation.

MoU With Pakistan Army

Powerus signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Army on September 16, with Field Marshal Asim Munir representing the Pakistani side. The agreement includes an initial order for unmanned aerial vehicles, according to Powerus co-founder Brett Velicovich.

Velicovich said the company ultimately aims to establish a joint technology partnership and manufacturing operations in Pakistan.

Powerus CEO Andrew Fox said Pakistan’s private defence sector remains in the early stages of development but is attracting interest from American companies.

The deal has also raised questions over potential conflicts of interest, given Powerus’s reported ties to the family of US President Donald Trump.

Ukrainian Drone Technology At Centre

Powerus signed a contract with G1 Exploration to commercialise autonomous defence systems developed in Ukraine. G1 Exploration owns the intellectual property of seven fully developed drone models from Ukrainian manufacturers, along with several systems still under development.

The partnership has also resulted in the Guardian line of drone interceptors.

Powerus began re-exporting Ukrainian drone technology to the Indian subcontinent, first reaching an agreement with Mumbai-based Paras Defence and Space Technologies for the production and sale of Guardian-1 technology in India. 

US Defence Contracts

Powerus was established in October last year and acquired three small firms within six months. It subsequently began manufacturing unmanned aerial and maritime systems.

The company has secured contracts from the US military, including a $90 million US Air Force deal for 3,000 interceptor drones and a $2.5 million US Department of Defence contract for 1,500 FPV drones, control kits and spare parts.

It has also won a $22.3 million contract to develop a system to protect critical oil and gas infrastructure in the Middle East on behalf of the United States.

Concerns Over US-Pakistan Defence Cooperation

The Pakistan agreement has triggered concerns over the resumption of US-Pakistan defence cooperation.

Washington has reportedly stopped supplying Islamabad with new weapons and currently provides modernisation packages for previously supplied F-16 fighter jets. Against this backdrop, the Powerus deal has drawn attention because of its potential to expand Pakistan’s access to drone technology.