Patria and General Cherry Sign Drone Production Agreement
Finnish defense company Patria and Ukrainian drone manufacturer General Cherry have announced a partnership to jointly develop and produce drones. The two companies signed a letter of intent on 23 August 2026, as reported by both Defense News and EDR Magazine - European Defence Review. The agreement aims to combine General Cherry's expertise in small drones with Patria's unmanned-technology capabilities and defense-industry experience, enabling the joint development of unmanned vehicles for Western European defense needs.
Under the collaboration, Patria plans to initiate drone production in Finland, a move that company statements indicate would support the development of Europe’s defense capabilities and Patria’s aim to be an innovative product developer. The companies said in a statement that the partnership would allow them to jointly develop unmanned systems, leveraging General Cherry’s experience from Ukrainian battlefields.
Broader European Context
The announcement comes amid a broader wave of European defense-industrial cooperation with Ukrainian drone makers, as reported by Defense News. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in December announced plans to produce various Ukrainian drones in Germany. In addition, Ukrainian UAV makers including Skyeton and Ukrspecsystems are partnering or investing in the United Kingdom to produce drones there, according to the same source.
This partnership reflects a growing pattern of integrating Ukrainian drone expertise into European defense manufacturing, driven by the lessons of modern warfare and the need to bolster Europe's capabilities.
Company Statements
Mikko Leino, Executive Vice President of Patria’s Defence and Weapon Systems business area, was quoted in both reports as saying: “Unmanned defense systems are central to the future of defense.” He added: “The partnership with General Cherry further reinforces Patria’s expertise in unmanned defense systems and drone development.”
Stanislav Hryshyn, co-founder of General Cherry, said: “Our unique battlefield experience, combined with Patria’s technological capabilities, can help drive a fundamental transformation of the European and global security architecture.” This quote was carried by both outlets, with EDR Magazine including the opening line “It is a great honor for us to begin a productive, long-term and effective partnership with Patria, one of the leading defense companies.”
The collaboration builds on General Cherry’s specialization in the development and serial production of strike FPV drones, fiber-optic drones, aerial-target interceptor drones, and fixed-wing UAVs, a detail reported by EDR Magazine. Patria has also been active in the defense R&D ecosystem in Ukraine and is developing AI-enabled solutions for unmanned aerial systems as part of its next-generation capabilities, according to the same source.
Unanswered Questions
Defense News reported that Patria did not immediately respond to questions about cooperative plans, including whether it will produce existing General Cherry drone models or when Finnish production could start. The company’s lack of response leaves these details open as the partnership moves forward.