Pentagon to Supply Ukraine with 33,000 AI Drone Kits Worth $50 Million

The Pentagon has signed a $50 million contract with Swiss company Auterion to supply Ukraine with 33,000 AI-equipped “strike kits” for drones.

“We have previously sent thousands of our AI strike systems to Ukraine, but this new deployment increases support more than tenfold. This is important not only for Ukraine’s defense but also marks significant progress in drone warfare technology,” said the company’s CEO, Lorenz Meier.

Auterion’s “strike kits” are based on Skynode technology, transforming manually operated drones into autonomous AI-guided weapon systems. Once activated, they become resistant to radio interference and can reliably track and engage moving targets up to one kilometer away.

Auterion is an international defense software company and a provider of AI drone solutions. The effectiveness of its Skynode kits has already been proven in combat conditions in Ukraine and integrated in Taiwan, according to the announcement.

“They ensure high precision in complex combat environments, significantly enhancing mission effectiveness and reducing vulnerability to electronic warfare. The contract underscores Auterion’s strategic role in advancing autonomous defense and strengthens the U.S. commitment to autonomous weapon technology,” Auterion emphasized.

In 2022, Ukraine became the first country to widely apply artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies in a full-scale war. In 2024, the government announced the creation of a defense AI technology center in collaboration with international partners. However, the state budget for these tasks remains limited (estimated at $200–400 million annually).

There is also extensive cooperation with startups and volunteer projects in AI analytics, computer vision, and tactical navigation. Despite limited funding, flexibility, rapid implementation, and field adaptation make the Ukrainian experience unique—studied worldwide, including by NATO.

Russia focuses on mass production and actively develops low-cost UAVs, AI for munitions, electronic warfare systems, and autonomous navigation. Most expenses are classified, but independent estimates suggest $300–500 million annually (2023). The growing share of AI integration is confirmed by the increase in Russia’s overall military budget (+30% in 2025).

Senior researcher at the RAND Corporation and former acting deputy undersecretary for science and technology at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Daniel Gerstein, highlighted that the use of drones has changed the nature of modern warfare, especially now with AI targeting in active combat zones.

“We are witnessing a cat-and-mouse game where each side tries to innovate in real-time. Some develop drones capable of long-range strikes. Others develop countermeasures,” the expert stated.

AI-operated drones do not rely on remote operators, providing an advantage when radio signals can be jammed.

The start of deliveries to Ukraine under the new agreement is scheduled for 2025.

Back in July, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded contracts worth up to $200 million to Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and xAI for developing AI solutions in the security sector.