Defense officials would seek a Ukraine partnership on drone technology

The defense secretary would work with the secretary of state to seek Ukrainian partners for a working group. The group would cover unmanned military systems built for limited missions and possible loss in dangerous settings, with low costs relative to their targets’ value, plus related software, equipment, and defenses. A one-year extension would require the defense secretary to find it vital to national security and send Congress written reasons. The secretary would have to seek partners within 90 days after enactment.

The group’s leaders would prioritize selected Ukrainian designs for joint development, production, and purchases. Selected designs must have shown high usefulness in combat and offer strategic improvements for U.S. forces. The group would examine legal requirements, supply chains, production costs, and steps to manufacture at scale in the United States. For selected systems that fail existing legal requirements for military use, it would explore alternative paths through named programs.

The group’s leaders would develop technology-sharing agreements and assess possible combat testing. The work would concern U.S.-Ukraine cooperation on the unmanned military systems covered by the group. The agreements would provide for secure battlefield data sharing and joint ownership rules that protect participants’ existing technology rights. Testing U.S.-made systems with Ukrainian combat units would be studied for feasibility.

The working group would brief congressional defense committees and send regular progress reports. Reports would cover selected systems, production plans, legal barriers, and reliance on parts from countries of concern. Reports would be unclassified but could include a classified attachment. Required topics would be covered as fully as practical. The briefing would be due within 120 days after enactment. Reports would start within 180 days after that briefing and continue every 180 days until the group ends.