At this year’s International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Berlin, Airbus Defence and Space and leading Ukrainian technological defence company SkyFall signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a strategic partnership. As a drone pioneer, SkyFall combines rapid prototyping with serial manufacturing to deliver advanced unmanned aerial systems for combat missions, logistics, and military reconnaissance. The signing took place in the presence of German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius. The partnership reinforces the protection of Ukraine’s airspace against drone and missile strikes and strengthens Ukraine as a leading European centre for defence innovation. The initiative will accelerate the European defence ecosystem by combining extensive Western systemic defence expertise with battle-proven technological agility and effectiveness to foster next-generation defence frameworks. The joint initiative directly supports the overarching goals of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), Europe’s joint air defence framework, and underscores the vital importance of European technological sovereignty. Furthermore, the alliance strengthens collective deterrence and long-term industrial solidarity by bringing advanced Ukrainian defence technologies to the European market.
“Countering new threats by affordable saturation attacks with drones and other effectors across the European airspace requires technological agility, multinational interoperability, and the deployment of battle-tested capabilities,” said Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. “This alliance with SkyFall bridges the gap between traditional defence systems and rapid-cycle innovation. Combining Airbus’ system-of-systems and C2-expertise – especially in integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) – with Ukraine’s invaluable combat insights and field-proven technologies, is another building block in creating a resilient, multi-layered air defence ecosystem – at the speed of the modern battlefield.”
“SkyFall interceptors have already neutralised over 10,000 Russian drones in live combat environments, validating the effectiveness of Ukrainian solutions in countering aerial threats. Partnering with Airbus, we are developing the next generation of technologies to establish a multi-layered air shield that will bolster the protection of Ukrainian skies and European airspace,“ commented Mykola Makovieiev, CEO of SkyFall.
SkyFall is a Ukrainian technology and defence company, operating a comprehensive corporate ecosystem that effectively integrates an advanced R&D center, scalable production lines, and the specialized SkyFall Academy, that provides expertise in deploying its own combat-proven solutions. SkyFall develops and manufactures the legendary “Vampire” drone – a bomber that the enemy nicknamed “Baba Yaga” and that became the foundation of the Ukrainian military’s unmanned force. The company also manufactures Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN “Shahed” interceptors, communication systems, and components – high-tech engineering solutions that operate effectively on the front line. Using SkyFall drones, Ukrainian defenders have already destroyed enemy personnel and equipment worth tens of billions of dollars.
Airbus is a European aerospace corporation. While the company’s primary business is the design and manufacture of commercial aircraft, it also operates separate divisions for Defence and Space and Helicopters. Airbus has long been the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer and, in 2019, emerged as the world’s largest manufacturer of airliners. Airbus’s headquarters are legally registered in Leiden, Netherlands, while day-to-day management is conducted from the company’s main office in Blagnac, France.[14] The SE in its name denotes Societas Europaea, a public company under European Union corporate law.
