Ukraine is buying the strike drones that Russian jamming cannot touch, and for the first time, to a common standard. The Defense Procurement Agency (DOT) has announced its first purchase of fiber-optic FPV kamikaze drones built to specifications defined by the Defense Ministry, the ministry announced.

By defining the specifications a fiber-optic FPV must meet, the Defense Ministry lets any maker compete by hitting that standard rather than having each model approved individually.

That is what makes it possible to split the purchase into competing lots among many suppliers, both large and mid-sized, and to buy the jam-proof drones at scale without relying on any single producer.

Why fiber-optic drones matter

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry is looking for a specific type of drone. They use a fiber-optic cable to connect to the operator, and unlike ordinary FPV drones that need a radio signal for control and video, these fiber-optic drones do not depend on the radio channel, so they work far better in the presence of active electronic warfare.

Fiber-optic drones let an operator keep control where radio-controlled drones lose their signal, and Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara said the drones give Ukraine's forces added ability to disrupt Russian assaults and conduct their own operations, striking enemy manpower.

The standard opens the field to any maker

The buy is not tailored to one producer. It is not conducted for a specific manufacturer or model, and producers can offer their own drones if they meet the defined characteristics, with the drones sorted into classes by parameters such as range (the length of the fiber-optic cable) and camera type.

The lot structure spreads the orders

Deputy Defense Minister Mstyslav Banik said the tender is structured so that various suppliers can participate. Each tender is divided into lots, with four lots per class of fiber-optic FPVs, and no participant may win more than 50% of a class's total volume.

That structure guards supply while also driving competition.

"This creates an environment for healthy competition among manufacturers, and at the same time minimizes the risks of supply disruptions," Banik added.

Ukrainian manufacturers have ranked the strike drones that Russian jamming cannot touch. The Beshket, Deadliner Q1, and Vyriy Opto drones ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively, in the July ranking of fiber-optic strike systems used by Ukraine's Defense Forces, according to Defender Media.

Fiber-optic drones are immune to the electronic warfare that defeats ordinary drones. Guided by a thin cable that unspools as they fly rather than a radio link, they cannot be jammed, which has made them one of the most important weapons on a front where both sides jam heavily.

The top drone can lie in wait for two days

The Beshket took first place for strikes. It is a drone on a 10-inch frame that reaches 90 kilometers per hour, stays up to 16 minutes aloft, and carries up to 4 kilograms of payload on eight motors, with an ambush mode that lets it wait for a target for up to 48 hours, at $2,170 on the state Brave1 Market.

The producer of the Beshket confirmed the drone's first place but declined further comment.

The runners-up are faster and cheaper

The Deadliner Q1, made by Stellarion, took second. A 10-inch drone with a 2-kilogram payload reaches 110 kilometers per hour, cruises at 60 to 70 kilometers per hour, and flies for at least 20 minutes for $1,810 on Brave1 Market. Stellarion confirmed the placement in a press release.

Third went to the Vyriy Opto 10. The 10-inch fiber-optic drone runs on a 20-kilometer cable spool, cruises at 60 kilometers per hour with a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, flies for 21 minutes, and carries 1 kilogram, costing about $2,000 with a thermal camera.

Why these drones matter on the front

Ukraine codified 413 unmanned aerial systems in the first half of 2026. Almost all of them are Ukrainian-made. That is more than 30% above the same period in 2025 and more than 73% above the same period in 2024.

Kyiv plans to build seven million drones in 2026, roughly double its 2025 output.