At the ILA Berlin Air Show 2026 international aerospace exhibition, Airbus Defence and Space signed air defence agreements with three companies: the Ukrainian firm SkyFall, the French company Alta Ares and the German manufacturer Diehl Defence. This was reported on the Airbus website and covered by Defender Media.
The agreements centre on the Fortion IBMS platform, an Airbus command-and-control system certified by NATO. The partners will provide solutions for different operational ranges: SkyFall will supply the P1-SUN interceptor drone designed to destroy so-called suicide drones; Alta Ares will provide the Black Bird and X-Lock interceptors, which have a range of up to 30 km and have been deployed in Ukraine since 2024; and Diehl Defence will contribute its IRIS-T SLM air defence missile systems.
Read alsoOne of Europe’s largest missile groups and Ukrainian Armor sign strategic partnership
“Countering new threats requires technological flexibility, cooperation between countries and battle-proven solutions,” said Michael Schellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space.
According to Defender Media, SkyFall’s partnership with Airbus is intended to strengthen the protection of Ukraine’s airspace against drone and missile attacks, while also reinforcing Ukraine’s role as a leading European hub for defence innovation. The initiative is also expected to contribute to the development of the broader European defence ecosystem.
Airbus Defence and Space, the defence division of Airbus SE, develops military aircraft, drones and command-and-control systems. SkyFall is a Ukrainian manufacturer of interceptor drones, best known for its P1-SUN series and its heavy Vampire drones. Alta Ares is a French defence technology start-up specialising in AI-powered counter-drone systems. Diehl Defence is a German manufacturer of air defence systems, including the IRIS-T SLM, which has been supplied to Ukraine since 2022.