The signing took place in the presence of German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius. Airbus said the partnership combines Western defence expertise with Ukraine’s combat-proven technological agility.
SkyFall is described as a drone pioneer combining rapid prototyping with serial manufacturing. The company delivers unmanned aerial systems for combat missions, logistics and military reconnaissance.
Airbus said the partnership reinforces the protection of Ukraine’s airspace against drone and missile strikes. It also strengthens Ukraine’s role as a European centre for defence innovation.
The initiative is intended to accelerate the European defence ecosystem. Airbus said it will combine system-level defence expertise with battle-proven technologies to support next-generation defence frameworks.
“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,” Schoellhorn said.
SkyFall Chief Executive Mykola Makovieiev said the company’s interceptors had already been used extensively in combat. He said the partnership with Airbus is aimed at developing new technologies for layered air defence.
“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.
Airbus said the joint initiative supports the goals of the European Sky Shield Initiative. It described ESSI as Europe’s joint air defence framework and said the partnership also underlines the importance of European technological sovereignty.
The alliance is also intended to strengthen collective deterrence and long-term industrial solidarity. Airbus said it will help bring advanced Ukrainian defence technologies to the European market.
SkyFall operates an integrated corporate ecosystem that includes an advanced research and development centre, scalable production lines and the SkyFall Academy. The academy provides expertise in deploying the company’s combat-proven solutions.
SkyFall develops and manufactures the Vampire drone, described by the company as a bomber nicknamed “Baba Yaga” by the enemy and a foundation of Ukraine’s unmanned force. The company also manufactures Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN “Shahed” interceptors, communication systems and components.
Airbus said SkyFall’s engineering solutions operate effectively on the front line. The company said Ukrainian defenders have used SkyFall drones to destroy enemy personnel and equipment worth tens of billions of dollars.
