Boeing and Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov sign a memorandum of cooperation in the drone maintenance field
23 July, 2024 ScanEagle drone. Photo from open sources The American Boeing Corporation and Ukraine's Antonov Company have signed an early agreement that will facilitate cooperation in the field of unmanned systems maintenance.
Breaking Defense reported on this. The memorandum could pave the way for the two planemakers to work together on unmanned systems to support Ukraine's defense industry. In particular, the cooperation opens up the possibility for Antonov to receive engineering support from Boeing.
The memorandum of understanding lists training, logistics support, and maintenance of drones like Boeing's ScanEagle as potential areas for collaboration.
ScanEagle drone. Photo from open sources
"We're pleased to continue working with the Antonov Company to support Ukraine's development and economic growth," Boeing's defense CEO Ted Colbert shared. Antonov CEO Yevhen Havrylov said today's agreement could help enable the continued development of Ukraine's defense industry, adding that the company was extremely excited to work with Boeing.
"This agreement brings a whole new level of opportunity to implement the latest and most effective solutions - in addition to the possibility of future projects with Boeing in the aerospace and defense industry," he noted. Militarnyi previously reported on the transfer of American ScanEagle unmanned aircraft systems to Ukraine back in August 2022. Reconnaissance drones are included in a new military aid package from the United States.
ScanEagle UAV launch. Photo credits: Marine Corps
ScanEagle is an American unmanned aerial vehicle designed by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing. It was based on the SeaScan UAV, a commercial drone designed to monitor fish.
Drones' main tasks are to provide reconnaissance from the air and help adjust artillery and other weapons.
The drone's endurance can reach up to 24+ hours, depending on the system's configuration.
The flight range is 100 kilometers.