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Ukraine’s Battle-Tested Raybird Lands $10.6 Million US Army Deal
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The US military is purchasing Ukrainian-made ACS-3 Raybird reconnaissance drones under a contract worth $10.64 million, adding a system that has already accumulated thousands of combat missions in Ukraine to its unmanned aviation capabilities.
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According to Defense Express on September 21, the US Department of Defense announced the contract for Raybird drones produced by Ukrainian manufacturer Skyeton. The number of aircraft and the amount of supporting equipment included in the order were not disclosed.
Deliveries are expected to be completed by December 15, 2026, giving the manufacturer roughly three months to fulfill the order, Defense Express reported.
The Raybird, also designated ACS-3, is a compact fixed-wing reconnaissance drone designed for extended surveillance and intelligence missions. The aircraft weighs about 23 kilograms and can carry up to six kilograms of payload.
Its declared flight endurance is up to 24 hours, with a maximum speed of approximately 140 kilometers per hour and an operating altitude of up to 5.5 kilometers. Depending on its configuration and mission profile, the drone can cover distances of up to 2,500 kilometers.
Raybird can carry several types of reconnaissance equipment, including gyro-stabilized multisensor systems, aerial photography cameras, synthetic aperture radar, and radio-frequency detection equipment. Satellite communications can also be integrated, allowing operators to control the aircraft beyond conventional line-of-sight limits.
The system has already accumulated extensive operational experience in Ukraine. According to Defense Express, Raybird drones have flown thousands of combat missions, with losses reported at around 10%. By March 2026, the fleet had accumulated more than 350,000 flight hours.
The aircraft has also drawn attention elsewhere in NATO. Ukrainian manufacturer Skyeton and UK-based Prevail Partners established the joint venture Skyeton Prevail Solutions to manufacture and promote the Raybird in Britain.
According to Defense Express, during previous exercises in the UK, the drone was used to locate several targets while reportedly avoiding detection. Britain had also evaluated Raybird as a possible replacement for its Watchkeeper reconnaissance drone fleet before selecting the Tekever AR5.
Raybird’s endurance capabilities predate its combat deployment. An earlier version of the ACS-3 set a Ukrainian endurance record in 2019, remaining airborne for more than 24 hours during a flight covering over 2,000 kilometers.
The new US contract marks another international procurement of a Ukrainian-developed unmanned system following several years of operational use during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
Earlier, Skyeton expanded Raybird’s presence in Europe through a partnership with German defense company INTEC, aimed at supplying the combat-proven Ukrainian drone to Germany and other European militaries.
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