Ukraine’s SkyFall, Airbus team up on air defence systems

Ukrainian defence company SkyFall and Airbus Defence and Space have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening air defence capabilities, particularly in response to drone and missile threats, the companies said.

The sides signed a memorandum of understanding during the ILA Berlin Air Show, one of Europe’s крупнейшей aerospace exhibitions, in the presence of German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, according to RBC-Ukraine.

The partnership is designed to enhance the protection of Ukraine’s airspace while also reinforcing the country’s role as a leading hub for defence innovation in Europe. It will combine Western industrial expertise with Ukrainian technologies developed and tested under combat conditions.

The companies said the cooperation would contribute to the broader European defence ecosystem by integrating advanced manufacturing capabilities with battlefield-proven solutions, with the aim of developing next-generation defence systems.

A central element of the partnership will be the integration of SkyFall’s P1-SUN interceptor systems with Airbus’s Air C2 airspace command and control platform. SkyFall said the effectiveness of its technology has already been demonstrated in operational use.

The company added that the collaboration is focused on building a multi-layered air defence architecture of a new generation that will “strengthen the protection primarily of Ukrainian skies and the airspace of Europe.”

“In order to counter new threats in European airspace, namely massive attacks by drones and other means of destruction, technological flexibility, cooperation between countries and combat-proven solutions are needed,” said Airbus Defence and Space Chief Executive Michael Schoellhorn.

Under the agreement, Airbus is expected to contribute its expertise in command-and-control systems, particularly in integrated air and missile defence (IAMD), while Ukraine will provide combat-tested technologies and operational experience.

By Tamilla Hasanova