US Drone Company Signs MoU with Pakistan Army, Secures Initial Drone Order

RAWALPINDI (Daily Qudrat) – American drone manufacturer Powerus has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pakistan Army, under which the company has also received an initial drone-related order from the Pakistan Army. According to the international news agency Reuters, the company’s co-founder Bret Velicovich confirmed the agreement and the initial order; however, citing security sensitivities and confidentiality conditions, he declined to disclose the value and further details of the agreement. He clarified that this partnership falls under the category of unmanned aerial systems.

The Pakistan Army’s Public Relations Department (ISPR) said that a Powerus delegation led by Bret Velicovich met Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, during which the purchase and production of defence equipment and the enhancement of long-term capabilities were discussed.

A notable feature of Powerus is that it manufactures naval and aerial drones for military and industrial use, and it is soon to merge with a publicly traded company, ‘Aerius Greenway Holdings,’ in which the two sons of US President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, have investments. According to US regulatory filings, after the merger, Trump’s sons’ investment fund ‘American Ventures’ will hold 9.9 percent shares of the company.

The company’s co-founder Velicovich said that Powerus aims to establish a joint technology partnership by combining the best technical capabilities of the United States and Pakistan, and the company is also examining the possibilities of local-level technology production in Pakistan. Powerus founder and CEO Andrew Fox rejected concerns and impressions that the company’s progress is linked to the involvement of President Trump’s sons, saying that agreements are made purely on merit and that Donald Trump Jr. has no connection to the business or the agreements.

A spokesman for Donald Trump Jr. also said that Donald Trump Jr. has no connection to Powerus’s management or operations, nor did he have any prior knowledge of this agreement. White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly also denied any kind of conflict of interest in this regard. This important development has come in the context of improving diplomatic and defence relations between Washington and Islamabad. Following public praise of Field Marshal Asim Munir by President Trump, Pakistan has taken several steps to strengthen economic, financial, and defence ties with the United States, paving the way for long-term cooperation between the two countries.