US company to build Ukrainian drone boats amid Pentagon demand: WSJ

A U.S. defense manufacturer will begin producing Ukrainian-designed Magura drone boats under a new partnership aimed at bringing battle-tested autonomous maritime technology into the American defense industrial base, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Portland, Oregon-based ReconCraft, which builds boats for U.S. special operations forces, signed a memorandum of understanding with Ukrainian drone developer Uforce to manufacture the unmanned vessels in the United States. The companies said they hope to eventually produce hundreds or even thousands of Magura boats annually at facilities in Oregon and South Carolina, although financial terms were not disclosed.

The agreement comes as Washington and Kyiv deepen defense cooperation and seek to transfer more Ukrainian battlefield expertise to U.S. weapons programs. Ukrainian drones have reshaped modern warfare, destroying warships, aircraft and infrastructure while demonstrating how relatively inexpensive autonomous systems can threaten much costlier military assets.

For investors, the agreement reflects growing Pentagon demand for lower-cost autonomous weapons following combat lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East. The Defense Department is expected to spend tens of billions of dollars on autonomous systems in the coming years, creating opportunities for companies with proven drone technologies.

Uforce said the partnership will also provide access to its autonomous control software and command-and-control technologies, in addition to aerial, ground and maritime drone designs.

The 25-foot Magura is designed for long-range strike missions but can also perform reconnaissance, minesweeping and anti-submarine operations. According to the company, the vessel can carry payloads exceeding 1,700 pounds (771.11 kilogram) over distances of more than 350 miles (563.27 kilometers) while costing less than $500,000.

The partnership also places ReconCraft in an increasingly competitive U.S. market for unmanned surface vessels, where established defense contractors and startups are developing autonomous boats as the Pentagon expands its investment in next-generation naval systems.