Pakistan Army signs drone MOU with US firm Powerus
US drone company Powerus has signed an agreement with the Pakistan Army involving an initial drone-related order. The development marks a new step in defence cooperation between the two countries. Powerus co-founder Brett Velicovich confirmed the memorandum of understanding to Reuters on Wednesday. He said the agreement falls within the broader category of unmanned aerial […]
Drone manufacturer Powerus has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pakistan's Army, which includes an initial order for unmanned aerial systems, according to co-founder Brett Velicovich. Velicovich, speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, declined to provide specifics due to security concerns, but confirmed the deal falls under the unmanned aerial systems category.
The value of the order remains undisclosed for confidentiality reasons. Powerus specializes in aerial and maritime drones for military and industrial purposes. The company is set to merge with a publicly traded firm backed by Donald Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, known as Aureus Greenway Holdings. Both entities anticipate the merger to conclude in early October.
Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, through an investment fund called American Ventures, are projected to hold a 9.9% beneficial ownership stake in the merged entity, as per US regulatory filings. On Wednesday, an MoU-signing delegation from Powerus, led by Velicovich, met with the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to discuss defence procurement, production, and long-term capacity building.
The military's media wing did not comment on the agreement outside business hours. Powerus' CEO, Andrew Fox, noted that Pakistan's private defense sector is still in its emerging phase, presenting opportunities for US firms to gain a technological edge. He also mentioned that Powerus is looking into potential collaboration to build technology in Pakistan.
Fox dismissed speculation that the company's growth is tied to the Trump sons' involvement, emphasizing that contracts are awarded based on merit and that they have no involvement in the business side of the company. Donald Trump Jr's spokesperson stated that the Trump son is a passive investor with an indirect holding and has no role in the company's management, procurement, or execution of contracts.
Eric Trump was unreachable. A White House Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary, Anna Kelly, affirmed there are no conflicts of interest.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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