After receiving its first Pentagon contract, Ukrainian Defense Drones (UDD) has chosen Northwest Ohio for its first major U.S. assembly and manufacturing center. UDD, the U.S. company representing Ukraine’s F-Drones, is expected to make a multimillion-dollar investment for the new production project in the Village of Holland, creating at least 300 new jobs.
The Lucas County facility will support U.S. and allied demand for first-person-view drones, unmanned systems, training and testing, and dual-use commercial applications. The project is structured around production, workforce development, supply-chain localization, hardware and software integration, customer demonstrations, and long-term U.S. expansion.
“There is no better place than Ohio for our allies to build the technology that strengthens our national defense, and UDD’s decision to invest here means 300 new jobs for the people of Lucas County. This investment strengthens our economy and the manufacturing base that our nation’s security depends on,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
“Becoming the first Ukrainian drone manufacturer authorized by the Government of Ukraine to export drone systems to the U.S. military is a historic milestone, and the next step is to share the technology to produce these drones on American soil. We’re proud to support the vision behind the emerging U.S.–Ukraine Drone Deal and to help strengthen the security and technological leadership of both our nations,” said Stas Khutor, CEO of F-Drones.
Driving the process which ultimately attracted UDD to Northwest Ohio was the U.S. Department of War’s Drone Dominance Program, a $1 billion plan to accelerate growth of the U.S. industrial base and rapidly arm combat units with low-cost, consumable drones at scale. By 2027, the program intends to purchase over 200,000 drones that can produce lethal effects in the toughest battlefield environments.
“An all-hands-on-deck approach won the day after our sustained engagement to attract one of the leading manufacturers of unmanned systems, Ukrainian Defense Drones (UDD) – the US arm of Ukraine’s F-Drones – to start assembly in Northwest Ohio. UDD is on the cutting edge of drone technology and defense innovation, and its systems are battle-tested on the frontlines of Liberty defending the free people of Ukraine from Dictator Vladimir Putin’s merciless invasion,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus.
UDD’s decision adds to a growing roster of global aerospace and defense innovators establishing operations in Ohio. From Anduril to Joby Aviation, and now UDD Tech, companies building the technologies that strengthen the U.S. economy and help protect the nation are increasingly choosing the state — drawn by a combination of world-class manufacturing, engineering talent, research institutions, military partnerships and testing capabilities that is difficult to replicate elsewhere. Each new investment reinforces Ohio’s position as a national leader in advanced aerospace and defense manufacturing, reflecting how much of the innovation underpinning America’s defense industrial base is now taking root in the state.
The project underscores Ohio’s growing role as a national platform for hyperscaling advanced manufacturing in support of national security. Backed by one of the country’s deepest aerospace and defense ecosystems — anchored by assets such as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — Ohio gives defense innovators the infrastructure, talent and speed-to-production needed to arm U.S. and allied forces at scale. Foreign direct investment is central to that mission: by helping allied companies such as UDD localize production on American soil, Ohio strengthens the domestic industrial base, creates high-value jobs and reduces U.S. reliance on overseas supply chains for critical defense technology.
