France to start supplying Ukraine with newly developed attack drones

France will soon begin supplying Ukraine with its first ever development of French-designed kamikaze drones.

As reported by BFMTV, French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that the tests of the first French attack drone had been successful and that the first units would be supplied to the French and Ukrainian Armed Forces in the coming weeks. 

The minister added that it is important for France to "win back sovereignty" in this promising area in at least two years, which means ensuring its own production of attack UAVs.

In March 2024, the French Ministry of Defence ordered 2,000 of these French-made drones, of which a hundred were earmarked for Ukraine. At the time, Lecornu noted that attack drones were becoming an integral part of military operations and could be an important addition to the Caesar air defence system.

The drone was ordered from a consortium that includes drone manufacturer Delair and arms company Nexter. These deliveries were initially planned for the summer.

At the beginning of the year, Lecornu announced plans to engage Delair in cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry.