Germany launches production of long-range drones for Ukraine
Serial production of more than 5,000 long-range strike drones for Ukraine has begun in Germany. The first units have already been manufactured, and the German government's order is planned to be completed by mid-2027. The program is estimated to cost around 300 million euros.
Production is being carried out by a joint venture between German-American company Auterion and Ukrainian defense company Airlogix. According to Handelsblatt, citing the companies and industry sources, the main production site is located in the Munich area. The partners intend to open another production facility in eastern Germany later.
The contract calls for the production of two types of strike drones. One belongs to medium-range systems, the second is capable of covering distances up to 1,500 kilometers. These drones are designed to hit targets and carry a warhead, so they do not return after completing their strike mission.
According to Handelsblatt, the first drones under the contract have already rolled off the production line. Thus, the project has moved from agreements and preparation of facilities directly to mass production of equipment for Ukraine.
Project prepared since early 2026
Auterion and Airlogix announced the creation of the Auterion Airlogix Joint Venture GmbH in February 2026 during the Munich Security Conference. Its task was to produce autonomous strike drone systems in Germany, primarily intended for the Ukrainian army.
In April, Germany and Ukraine signed a cooperation agreement that allowed launching the first major production contract of the joint venture. Auterion called it the largest German order at that time for the production of heavy autonomous strike drones.
The contract covers drones with X-shaped and delta wings. These systems are based on platforms developed by Ukrainian Airlogix, adapted for serial production at German facilities.
In April, one of the partnership's long-range drones was demonstrated to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The presented drone has a claimed flight range of up to 1,500 kilometers.
Ukrainian platform and German production
In the joint project, Airlogix is primarily responsible for the hardware and unmanned platforms created with wartime experience. Auterion provides software, operating system, and autonomous control technologies.
In particular, the drones use AI-based navigation systems. They should enable the drone to continue its mission under electronic warfare conditions and with limited access to satellite navigation.
In April, Auterion reported that the systems are built on Ukrainian platforms that have already been tested in combat, and the software ensures autonomous navigation, terminal guidance, and increased resilience to electronic countermeasures.
In addition, the drones can integrate with Auterion's Nemyx system, designed for coordinating multiple autonomous vehicles. The trade publication Janes previously reported that the X-shaped version is based on the Ukrainian Seth-X, and the larger delta-wing drone is based on Anubis.
Order expected until mid-2027
According to Handelsblatt, the entire current order of the German federal government is to be completed by mid-2027. Industry sources estimate its value at about 300 million euros.
With a volume of more than 5,000 drones, this means deploying production at a scale of thousands of systems per year. Already in the spring, partners stated that German lines are designed for large-scale production, which should reduce the cost of individual drones and ensure regular supplies to Ukraine.
The current contract is directly for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, Auterion views the production facilities established in Germany as a long-term project and expects new orders after completion of the first batch.
The company also allowed that in the future, Germany and other allies could receive autonomous strike systems from this same production base. However, the initial order is entirely focused on Ukrainian needs.
Auterion was founded by German entrepreneur Lorenz Meier in Switzerland, but now the company's headquarters is in the USA, and its German division is in Munich. According to its own data, the company employs about 300 people excluding partner companies' employees.
Airlogix is a Ukrainian defense technology company founded in 2020. After the start of the full-scale war, it focused on developing drone systems for the military and supplies its products to Ukrainian units. In the joint venture, the Ukrainian side provides platforms developed and tested in wartime, while production of large batches is transferred to Germany's industrial base.
Based on materials from: Handelsblatt, Auterion, Airlogix, Janes
