Croatian drone manufacturer Orqa and Ukrainian defence-tech firm General Cherry have signed a memorandum of cooperation that will bring Ukraine’s Orqa counter-drone interceptor capability to NATO and allied nations for the first time. The agreement pairs General Cherry’s frontline operational experience with Orqa’s manufacturing and engineering know-how in a deal rooted in shared respect between the two companies and their home countries.
The partnership was made possible by Ukraine’s decision to share its expertise in counter-UAS interceptor drones with a trusted European partner. Orqa, headquartered in Osijek, Croatia, is widely regarded as Europe’s leading UAV company. By combining Ukrainian battlefield knowledge with Orqa’s proven production capacity, the two firms aim to bolster NATO resilience and ensure European-built defenses can protect European skies without pulling resources away from Ukraine’s own defense efforts.
How the Orqa Counter-Drone Partnership Will Work
The initial focus of the agreement centers on the development and manufacture of interceptor drones, components, and other counter-UAV systems. Work to establish joint manufacturing facilities in both Croatia and Ukraine is already underway, and the companies expect the first products to be available in the near future. The deal reflects a mutual manufacturing model designed to localize production across both countries.
General Cherry ranks as the number one interceptor drone developer in Ukraine and holds the top position among all FPV drone developers according to official data from the Army of Drones Bonus program. The company brings real-world combat experience from an active conflict zone where drones play a central role in daily operations. Orqa, meanwhile, produces components and integrated systems for customers in over 50 markets worldwide, including 24 NATO member states. The company builds all of its products without any Chinese parts, and its vertically integrated production model means every key element is designed, engineered, and built in-house. That approach makes the Orqa supply chain resistant to geopolitical disruptions.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for our company and Ukrainian defence-tech as a whole. We are launching a major and promising partnership with a company that brings over a decade of experience and leading expertise in the UAV industry. Our shared goal is clear: to help build a new architecture of European and global security. Ukraine’s unique battlefield experience, combined with Orqa’s technological expertise, creates a powerful synergy. Together, we are ready to change the game” Yaroslav Gryshyn, Co-Founder of General Cherry
What General Cherry and Orqa Bring to the Table
The partnership between a leading Ukrainian and Croatian business carries broader significance. Both nations share a deep commitment to sovereign independence, and the cooperation reflects that common ground. For General Cherry, the agreement offers a path to bring its interceptor drone technology outside of Ukraine for the first time. For Orqa, it adds battle-proven systems to its existing portfolio and opens a new chapter in European defense manufacturing.
Orqa has grown rapidly in recent years. In 2026, the company was ranked number 135 overall and number two in Aerospace and Defense on The Financial Times’ FT1000 list of Europe’s 1,000 fastest-growing companies. Its production facility in Croatia can manufacture hundreds of thousands of drones annually, and the company has been building out a global network of manufacturing partners. The growing interest in counter-UAV solutions across Western defense markets creates strong demand for the kind of systems this partnership will produce.
“General Cherry’s real-world combat experience, combined with Orqa’s broad technical capabilities, creates a partnership with exceptional potential based on a trailblazing mutual manufacturing model. It is an important step forward for both parties and countries, enabling General Cherry’s highly effective interceptor drone capability to be available outside Ukraine for the first time. The result will strengthen the security framework of all allied nations.” Srdjan Kovacevic, Co-Founder and CEO of Orqa
Orqa Counter-Drone Systems and NATO Security
The agreement arrives at a time when NATO countries are urgently seeking reliable counter-drone capabilities. Adversaries have increasingly deployed low-cost drones in large numbers across active conflict zones, and the demand for effective interceptor systems has surged. Ukraine, having defended against persistent aerial threats since the start of the full-scale conflict, has developed some of the most advanced and field-tested counter-drone technology in the world.
By establishing production in both Croatia and Ukraine, the partnership ensures that allied nations can access these systems through a secure, European-based supply chain. Orqa’s commitment to manufacturing without Chinese components adds another layer of supply chain security that NATO members increasingly require. The ultimate goal of the partnership is full localization of component production, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthening the defense industrial base across both countries.
The cooperation between General Cherry and Orqa marks a new phase in how Ukrainian defense technology reaches the broader Western market. Rather than simply exporting finished products, this model shares expertise and production responsibilities across borders, building long-term manufacturing capacity in multiple allied nations simultaneously.
