US-based drone manufacturer Powerus has claimed that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Army and received an initial order related to unmanned aerial systems.
Speaking to Reuters, Powerus co-founder Brett Velicovich said the company signed what he described as a significant MoU on Wednesday and received an initial order as part of the agreement. However, he declined to disclose details regarding the technology involved or the value of the order, citing security and confidentiality concerns.
Powerus develops aerial and maritime drones for military and industrial applications. According to the company, the agreement falls within the category of unmanned aerial systems, though no further technical details have been made public.
Meanwhile, Pakistan military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), stated that a Powerus delegation led by Brett Velicovich met Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The ISPR statement did not mention the signing of an MoU but said discussions focused on defence technology, procurement, production and long-term capacity building.
According to the military statement, Asim Munir emphasised the importance of technological innovation and advanced solutions in strengthening national security and defence capabilities.
The reported agreement comes amid efforts by Islamabad and Washington to expand economic, security and defence cooperation following years of strained relations. Reuters reported that the signing of the MoU and the initial order had not previously been disclosed publicly.
Additional reporting by Reuters and the Financial Times noted that Powerus is expected to merge next month with Aureus Greenway Holdings, a publicly traded company backed by investment interests linked to Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
Reuters further reported that Powerus executives expressed interest in developing long-term technology partnerships in Pakistan, including the possibility of future cooperation in drone technology development and production.
Neither Powerus nor the Pakistan Army has publicly released details regarding the scope, timeline or financial value of the reported agreement.
The reported agreement comes at a time when Pakistan is facing persistent security challenges in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Balochistan, pro-independence Baloch armed groups have intensified the frequency and scale of their attacks in recent years. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), one of the most prominent armed groups operating in the region, announced an “economic blockade” campaign earlier this year. As part of the campaign, the group has claimed responsibility for attacks and road blockades targeting trade and transport routes linking Pakistan with Iran and, through Balochistan, onward to Central Asian markets.
The development also follows reports of increased aerial and drone operations by the Pakistan military in parts of Balochistan. In recent months, several air and drone strikes have been reported in different areas of the region. Local residents, victims’ families and human rights organisations have alleged that some of these operations resulted in civilian casualties, while Pakistani authorities have maintained that such actions target armed militants and are conducted as part of counterinsurgency efforts.