I S L A M A B A D : Following a meeting with Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir, US drone maker POWERUS said it had signed an MoU with the Pakistan Army.
POWERUS co-founder Brett Velicovich told Reuters that the deal included an initial dronerelated order.
While Velicovich declined to provide details, citing security sensitivities, he said the deal fell within the category of unmanned aerial systems. He also declined to disclose the value of the order, citing confidentiality.
‘The goal would be a joint technology relationship, pairing best-in-breed technology from the US with best-in-breed technology from Pakistan,’ Mr Velicovich said, adding that POWERUS was exploring ways to potentially build technology in Pakistan.
On Wednesday, InterServices Public Relations said that a POWERUS delegation led by Mr Velicovich met Field Marshal Munir to discuss defence procurement, production and long-term capacity building. However, the statement made no mention of an MoU.
Andrew Fox, Powerus’ founder and chief executive, said that Pakistan’s private defence sector remained ‘emerging but still not mature’, leaving room for US firms to move faster.
POWERUS, which offers aerial and maritime drones for military and industrial use, is due to merge with a publicly traded company backed by two of US President Donald Trump’s sons, called Aureus Greenway Holdings.
Both companies have said they expect the merger to complete in early October.
Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, own a stake in Aureus through an investment fund called American Ventures, according to US regulatory filings.
American Ventures is expected to hold a 9.9 per cent beneficial ownership stake in the combined company after the merger, regulatory filings show.-Reuters