WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has awarded Skyeton, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Ukrainian drone manufacturer Skyeton, a $10.64 million firm-fixed-price contract to provide Raybird unmanned aerial systems hardware and related services.
The Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, issued the contract following an online solicitation. Skyeton, based in North Las Vegas, Nevada, was the only company to submit a bid. The contract is expected to be completed by December 15, 2026. The number of systems to be delivered was not disclosed, while work locations and funding will be determined with each order.
Raybird UAS
The Raybird, also known as ACS-3, is a fixed-wing tactical unmanned aircraft designed mainly for long-endurance intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and target-acquisition missions.
Ukrainian armed forces have operated the Raybird since 2018, and Skyeton reports that the platform has accumulated more than 350,000 combat flight hours.
The internal-combustion-engine version has a flight endurance of more than 28 hours, a maximum range of more than 2,500 kilometers, an operating ceiling of up to 5,500 meters and a communications range of more than 220 kilometers, or unlimited range when using satellite communications.
The aircraft uses a four-stroke, fuel-injected gasoline engine, can operate from -35°C to +55°C, and can be deployed in up to 25 minutes. It supports interchangeable payloads including multisensor EO/IR stabilized gimbals, synthetic-aperture radar and radio-frequency intelligence systems.
Satellite communications were integrated into the platform in early 2026 to support longer-range data links. Skyeton has also tested a hydrogen-powered hybrid variant under combat conditions in Ukraine.
U.S. Production Expansion
The Army contract comes as Skyeton expands its U.S. manufacturing presence. In July 2026, the company announced an investment of more than $3.1 million to establish its first U.S. production plant in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Skyeton is converting a 28,500-square-foot former Black+Decker facility near Fayetteville Regional Airport. The facility is expected to create 162 jobs, with an average annual salary of $70,759.
The project received a $500,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund, while the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County are providing about $243,000 in combined job-creation incentives.
Skyeton CEO Rigoberto “Quito” Sáez said the facility is intended to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and create American jobs while bringing production closer to end users.
International Operations
Skyeton opened a production facility in Slovakia in July 2024. In July 2025, the company and British defense firm Prevail Partners established a joint venture, Skyeton Prevail Solutions, to manufacture and integrate Raybird systems for the UK and NATO markets.
The $10.64 million contract represents a significant U.S. procurement of the Raybird platform as Skyeton expands its production and support operations in the United States and other international markets.
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