Armenia has announced the purchase of US-built V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicles, representing a significant milestone in the deepening of military cooperation between Yerevan and Washington.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that the drones were acquired through the US Foreign Military Sales program, positioning the deal within a broader strategic framework of Armenia–US defense collaboration. The announcement coincided with the visit of US Vice President JD Vance to the country.
The procurement follows three successive years of the “Eagle Partner” joint military exercise series, underscoring Armenia’s efforts to modernize its defense capabilities through closer security engagement with the United States.
Produced by Shield AI, the V-BAT is a vertical takeoff and landing ISR drone featuring a tail-sitter configuration that allows runway-independent operations, enabling deployment in restricted and austere environments.
According to Pashinyan, the acquisition is intended to lay the groundwork for deeper long-term cooperation, signaling Yerevan’s intent to move beyond symbolic engagement toward practical defense capability integration.
The V-BAT deal builds on a growing pattern of US–Armenia defense interaction. Since 2023, both nations have conducted annual Eagle Partner exercises focused on peacekeeping and interoperability. US assistance has also expanded through increased training programs, advisory support, professional military education initiatives, and peacekeeping readiness cooperation for Armenian forces.
