Summary
- Boeing and Antonov explore collaboration on defense projects, focusing on training and support for Ukraine’s UAV operations.
- Agreement showcases Boeing’s commitment to work with Ukrainian defense industry.
- Antonov shifts focus to drones after Russian military strikes limit aircraft manufacturing capacity.
Boeing and Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on defense-related projects. The two companies penned the agreement today at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA 2024), with possible areas of collaboration to include training and technical support for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Boeing and Antonov announce defense collaboration
At this early stage, the agreement will see both companies “explore opportunities” to collaborate on training, logistics and maintenance support for Ukraine’s UAVs, which have proven a key asset during the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia. Additionally, it opens the possibility of Antonov providing engineering support to Boeing.
Photo: Boeing
Ted Colbert, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, commented,
“This agreement demonstrates our ongoing efforts to find more opportunities to work with Ukrainian industry, which was underscored by our signing of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Compact earlier this year.”
Ukraine’s armed forces utilize the Boeing Insitu ScanEagle UAV for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. In fact, drones are so important to Ukrainian operations that the country became the first in the world to establish a dedicated military branch for UAVs – the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF).
As reported by Breaking Defense, Antonov CEO Ievhen Gavrylov said the agreement paves the way for “future projects with Boeing in the aerospace and defense industry” while enabling both companies to implement the latest solutions. The two companies have worked together before when Boeing agreed to deliver aircraft parts to Antonov in 2018.
Boeing is not the only US-based firm to establish partnerships in Ukraine – earlier this year, defense contractor Northrop Grumman also committed to producing artillery ammunition as part of a deal with Ukrainian arms company Ukroboronprom.
Antonov’s changing priorities
Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov is best known for its giant An-225 Mirya, which was the largest cargo aircraft in the world until its destruction in 2022. Its An-124 cargo plane has been much more successful from a commercial perspective, with Antonov producing over 50 airframes – the An-124 remains the largest in-service cargo aircraft and is used to transport a wide array of outsized cargo, including battle tanks and helicopters.
Photo: Mike Fuchslocher | Shutterstock
However, its capacity to manufacture aircraft has been severely limited by Russian military strikes, forcing the company to switch its focus to drones.
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About the ScanEagle
The ScanEagle reconnaissance drone was developed by Insitu, a wholly-owned Boeing subsidiary specializing in unmanned aerial systems. Fitted with a wide range of surveillance systems and boasting up to 18 hours of endurance, the ScanEagle can be launched independent of runways to maximize its operational versatility.
Photo: Insitu
Category |
Specification |
---|---|
SIZE AND WEIGHT |
|
Max takeoff weight |
58 lb / 26.5 kg |
Max payload weight |
11 lb / 5 kg |
Length |
5.6 ft / 1.71 m |
Wingspan |
10.2 ft / 3.1 m |
SENSOR AND DATA OPTIONS |
|
Turret |
EO, EO950 (EO camera and EO telescope), MWIR, Dual Imager (EO and MWIR) |
Video Datalink |
Analog, digital encrypted |
C2 Datalink |
Encrypted, unencrypted |
PERFORMANCE |
|
Endurance |
18 hours |
Service Ceiling |
19,500 ft / 5,950 m |
Max horizontal speed |
80 knots / 41.2 m/s |
Engine |
Heavy fuel (JP-5 or JP-8) or C-10 gasoline engine |