Ukrainian defense-technology firm SkyFall and Airbus Defence and Space signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the ILA Berlin Air Show on June 12, in the presence of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. The partnership will integrate SkyFall’s P1-SUN interceptors — which have destroyed approximately 10,000 Russian drones — with Airbus’s Air C2 airspace management system. Airbus CEO Michael Schoellhorn said the alliance aims to bridge traditional defense systems with rapidly developed innovations, combining Western command expertise with Ukraine’s combat-proven technology to build next-generation multilayered air defense for both Ukrainian and European airspace.
In-Depth:
Ukrainian defense-technology company SkyFall and Airbus Defence and Space signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a strategic partnership, the firms announced at the ILA Berlin Air Show on June 12.
The signing took place at Europe’s largest aerospace exhibition in the presence of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
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The partnership aims to strengthen the protection of Ukraine’s airspace against drone and missile attacks while reinforcing the counattempt’s role as a leading European center of defense innovation.
The initiative also seeks to develop Europe’s defense ecosystem by pairing Western systemic expertise with combat-proven technological flexibility to build next-generation defense solutions.
A central focus of the cooperation will be integrating SkyFall’s P1-SUN interceptors with the Airbus Air C2 airspace management system, according to the Ukrainian company.
“P1-SUN interceptors have already destroyed around 10,000 Russian drones of various types, confirming the technology’s effectiveness against aerial threats,” SkyFall noted. “This became the foundation for the partnership with Airbus, within which we are working to create a next-generation multilayered air defense system that will strengthen the protection of Ukrainian skies first and foremost, as well as European airspace.”
Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, emphasized that countering new threats in European airspace—mass attacks by drones and other strike weapons—demands technological flexibility, cooperation between countries, and combat-proven solutions.
“Our alliance with SkyFall should close the gap between traditional defense systems and innovations with short development cycles,” he stated.
Schoellhorn added that Airbus contributes systemic expertise in command and control, particularly in integrated air and missile defense, while the Ukrainian side brings frontline experience and technologies tested in real combat conditions.
The partnership supports the goals of the European Sky Shield Initiative and underscores the importance of European technological sovereignty, the firms indicated.
SkyFall develops and manufactures the Vampire heavy bomber drone—known to Russian forces by the nickname “Baba Yaga”—alongside Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN Shahed interceptors, and communications systems and components.
The company operates a large R&D center, scalable production lines, and a certified academy that trains pilots, instructors, and technicians.
The P1-SUN’s battlefield record has already expanded beyond Shahed drones. In recent months, the interceptors downed Russian Gerbera drones carrying FPV munitions for the first time, with Ukrainian crews identifying and destroying five Russian drones within a single 24-hour period.
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