Patria and Ukraine's General Cherry sign drone production deal in Finland

August 24, 2026 at 07:45 PM2 min

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Finnish defense company Patria and Ukrainian drone maker General Cherry signed a letter of intent on Sunday to jointly develop drones and start production in Finland. The partnership combines General Cherry's battlefield experience with Patria's defense-industry expertise to build unmanned systems for Western European needs. The deal follows similar European cooperation moves, including German plans to produce Ukrainian drones.

Key Facts

Patria and General Cherry signed a letter of intent on Sunday to jointly develop drones and start production in Finland.
General Cherry's drones are used by more than 200 military units across the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced plans in December to produce various Ukrainian drones in Germany.
Ukrainian UAV makers Skyeton and Ukrspecsystems are partnering or investing in the United Kingdom to produce drones there.

Partnership Details

The companies signed a letter of intent on Sunday to combine General Cherry's expertise in small drones and Patria's unmanned-technology expertise and defense-industry experience. The collaboration will allow them to jointly develop unmanned vehicles for Western European defense needs. Patria plans to start drone production in Finland, which would help build up Europe's defense capabilities and support the Finnish firm's aim to be an innovative product developer. Mikko Leino, Patria's executive vice president for defense and weapon systems, said unmanned defense systems are central to the future of defenses. Stanislav Hryshyn, co-founder of General Cherry, said the company's unique battlefield experience combined with Patria's technological capabilities can help drive a fundamental transformation of the European and global security architecture.

European Drone Cooperation

The announcement is part of a broader wave of European defense-industrial cooperation with Ukrainian drone makers. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced plans in December to produce various Ukrainian drones in Germany. Ukrainian UAV makers including Skyeton and Ukrspecsystems are partnering or investing in the United Kingdom to produce drones there. General Cherry produces a range of drones, including one-way FPV strike drones and interceptor drones.