5 October 2026
Germany will fund the production in Ukraine of tens of thousands of Quantum Systems interceptor drones to strengthen defenses against Russian attack UAVs.
Quantum Systems told Militarnyi that the announcement followed German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to Kyiv on October 4.
The funding will be included in Germany’s military aid package for Ukraine for the winter period of 2026–2027. The interceptors will be manufactured directly in Ukraine, and the order will enable increased production of drones already used by the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Germany’s new aid package for Ukraine is worth more than €1.3 billion. It includes funding to develop and produce new interceptor drones specifically designed to counter the jet-powered Shahed drones.
Zelensky also noted that Ukraine and Germany signed 15 agreements and other documents during their talks. Most of them focus on security cooperation, weapons production, arms purchases, and joint defense projects. The total value of all the agreements exceeds €8.5 billion.
A representative of Quantum Systems and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. October 4, 2026. Photo credits: Federal Government / Tobias Koch
During the visit, Merz and German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche also met with Quantum Systems representatives in Kyiv. The German delegation was shown the company’s Ukrainian production facilities, operator training and technical support systems, and plans to further increase production of unmanned systems.
According to Quantum Systems, the interceptors were developed by the Ukrainian team of the company’s joint venture, Quantum WIY Industries (QWI). They are designed to protect cities, civilian facilities, and critical infrastructure, and are integrated into Quantum Systems’ MOSAIC UXS software ecosystem.
The company specifically emphasized that the expansion of production is linked to the changing nature of Russia’s air threat – particularly the increasingly frequent use of fast, jet-powered attack drones. Countering these drones requires large numbers of lower-cost interceptors.
The press release does not specify which drone models will be purchased under the new package. However, Quantum WIY Industries was established by Quantum Systems together with Ukrainian company WIY Drones specifically to develop and scale up systems designed to counter airborne threats.
Representatives of Quantum Systems and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. October 4, 2026. Photo credits: Federal Government / Tobias Koch
In April, the company announced the creation of QWI and plans to increase production of interceptor drones. One of these systems is the Ukrainian-made STRILA, designed to engage fast, maneuvering targets, including Shahed-136/131 drones and reconnaissance UAVs.
In September, Quantum Systems received an order to supply Ukraine’s National Guard with 25,000 STRILA interceptors. It was also reported in March that the company was developing the STRILA-2, which features a rocket booster designed to provide improved performance when intercepting high-speed targets.
During a Ukrainian-German industrial roundtable, Quantum Systems and Ukrainian company Fire Point signed a memorandum of cooperation. According to Quantum Systems, the two companies plan to jointly develop new technologies in unmanned systems and countering airborne threats.