Pentagon expands purchases of Ukrainian F10 strike drones
The US Department of Defense has additionally ordered 1,320 F10 strike FPV drones produced by the Ukrainian company F-Drones. The new batch of drones is planned to be delivered by the end of November 2026. In total, the American military has already ordered at least 3,320 such drones.
The additional batch was ordered under the US Drone Dominance program aimed at mass equipping the military with inexpensive strike drones. By volume of the new order, F-Drones took second place among participants in the first stage of the program.
In July, the Ukrainian company already sent the first batch of 2,000 F10 drones to the USA. According to the official Drone Dominance rating, as of September 10, all 2,000 units were accepted by the American side.
During the first stage of the Gauntlet I tests, the Ukrainian F10, presented by the American partner Ukrainian Defense Drones, took sixth place with a score of 72.9 out of 100 possible. Participants were evaluated based on flight test results, feedback from military operators, production capabilities, and supply chain reliability.
To fulfill the additional order, F-Drones is undergoing necessary export procedures and approvals in Ukraine. The company's CEO Stanislav Khutor said that the producer expects to receive permission in time and complete deliveries by the end of November.
At the same time, according to the head, the increase in exports will not affect supplies to the Ukrainian military. The company's production capacities allow fulfilling additional orders without reducing deliveries to the front.
"Ukrainian defenders receive our drones on time and in full volume" , Khutor noted.
The F10 became the first Ukrainian drone to receive official permission for export to the USA. The model was developed on the basis of a system that Ukrainian military has been using since 2024, and adapted to the requirements of the American competition.
According to Forbes Ukraine, F-Drones independently develops software, electronics, engines, regulators, and flight controllers. The company began drone production in 2023. Among its developments are also F7 strike drones and LITAVR interceptors of Russian "Shaheds".
The Drone Dominance program provides for American purchases of small strike drones worth about $1 billion. By 2027, the Pentagon plans to acquire over 200,000 drones. Purchases are organized in four stages, during which order volumes are expected to grow, and the cost of an individual aircraft is expected to decrease.
In addition to exporting finished products, F-Drones is considering the possibility of localizing production in the USA. In July, Forbes Ukraine reported on the preparation of a production site in Ohio. The project included potential investments of $18.4 million and the creation of at least 300 jobs. Its implementation depended, in particular, on obtaining Ukrainian export permits.
On the American market, F-Drones' interests are represented by UDD Tech Corp. The manufacturer did not disclose the cost of the new order for 1,320 drones.
Based on materials from: "Militarnyi", Forbes Ukraine, Forbes Ukraine
