The German-American defense company Auterion and its Ukrainian partner Airlogix announced the start of serial production of strike drones for Ukraine, with the first units already completed, Handelsblatt reported, citing the companies.
The order from the German federal government, part of its military support for Ukraine, is scheduled to be fulfilled by mid-2027. According to the newspaper's sources in industrial circles, the contract is worth around €300 million.
The order covers two drone models: one with a medium flight range and another with an extended range of up to 1,500 kilometers. These are kamikaze drones that do not return to base. They use artificial intelligence for target guidance, including in conditions where electronic warfare systems are operating.
Auterion is responsible for the software and operating system, while Airlogix handles the hardware. The joint venture was established in February 2026 with the support of the German and Ukrainian governments.
In addition to the site near Munich, the company plans to set up production at another facility in eastern Germany.
Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier said Germany has gained a production line for affordable, high-precision weapons in large volumes. Airlogix head Vitaliy Kolesnichenko noted that the partnership combines battle-tested drones, autonomous software, and Germany's industrial capacity.
Earlier, Reuters reported that Germany's Defense Ministry would also fund the purchase of 50,000 Shrike FPV strike drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with the contract estimated at about €90 million.
On the night of September 4, unidentified individuals attempted to set fire to a site near a building in the Munich suburbs where several weapons manufacturers operate. The suspected target may have been the Rohde & Schwarz facility, but its premises were not damaged. Police detained two Bulgarian citizens.