Ukraine and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt's company Swift Beat agree on large-scale production of drones
In Denmark, in the presence of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and Swift Beat CEO Eric Schmidt signed a memorandum of strategic partnership. Its goal is to scale up the production of unmanned systems and prioritise the supply of modern drones to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Under the agreement, Swift Beat will expand its production capacity and supply drones to Ukraine on special terms - at cost. The company plans to produce hundreds of thousands of drones this year, and even more in 2026.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov and CEO of Swift Beat, LLC Eric Schmidt. Illustration: the website of the President of Ukraine
What will be produced?
The American company Swift Beat, which has a significant presence in Ukraine, will produce
- interceptor drones to destroy enemy drones and missiles,
- medium-class strike drones for target destruction,
- quadcopters for reconnaissance, fire control and logistics.
We also plan to develop new solutions with artificial intelligence: cruise and ballistic missile interceptors, automatic turrets and reconnaissance platforms.
Why is it important?
Swift Beat is actively cooperating with Ukrainian engineers and the military, and their systems are already being tested in Ukraine. Mass production will help the Armed Forces of Ukraine to adapt more quickly to the new challenges of the war with Russia and strengthen air defence.
About Swift Beat
Swift Beat, LLC is an American company specialising in the production of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles with artificial intelligence. The company actively cooperates with Ukrainian engineers and the military, and conducts drone testing in Ukraine.
In addition, the company develops innovative solutions, including cruise and ballistic missile interceptors, automatic turrets and reconnaissance platforms. This partnership is expected to significantly enhance Ukraine's defence capabilities.
About Eric Schmidt
Eric Emerson Schmidt, born on 27 April 1955 in Washington, D.C., is a well-known American businessman and software engineer. He was the CEO of Google from 2001 to 2011, after which he became the Executive Chairman of Google (2011-2015), and from 2015 to 2017 - the Executive Chairman of the parent company Alphabet Inc. From 2017 to 2020, Schmidt served as a technical advisor to Alphabet.
Prior to joining Google, Eric Schmidt worked at Bell Labs, Sun Microsystems (where he served as Vice President and President of Sun Technology Enterprises), and was CEO of Novell (1997-2001).
He is known as one of the key leaders who contributed to the rapid growth of Google, transforming it from a small search engine company into a world-class technology giant. Schmidt is also known for his involvement in various scientific and industrial councils, as well as his work in the field of artificial intelligence and blockchain.