Portland-Based ReconCraft to Manufacture Magura Sea Drones for U.S. Military
The Magura sea drones, designed and battle-tested by Ukraine, will be manufactured by Portland-based ReconCraft, which makes boats for special-operations forces. The deal was struck as the U.S. begins to use sea drones in combat after years of testing and development. American drone boats attacked an Iranian submarine and ship facility at a naval base located on the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month in a kamikaze mission.
The drone boats, known as Maguras, will be manufactured by Portland-based ReconCraft, which makes boats for special-operations forces. A memorandum of understanding between ReconCraft and Magura-maker Uforce was signed at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington last week.
Ukraine’s kamikaze sea drones like the Magura have largely forced Russian warships to retreat from the Black Sea. They have also hit oil tankers and bridges, and they have even transported missiles and rockets to shoot down aircraft and hit land targets.