Alta Ares and General Cherry Sign Strategic MoU to Strengthen Ukraine’s Next-Generation Counter-UAS Capabilities
Paris / Kyiv, August 3, 2026 — Alta Ares, a pioneering European defense technology company specializing in AI-powered air defense, and General Cherry, one of Ukraine’s leading manufacturers of interceptor drones, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate Alta Ares’ proprietary Pixel Lock and Cyclop C2 AI software into General Cherry’s Bullet interceptor drone for mid-course and terminal guidance automation.
The agreement comes as the European Union continues to strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base through initiatives such as the Ukrainian Support Loan (USL). As industrial cooperation between Ukrainian manufacturers and European defense technology companies deepens, partnerships such as the one between Alta Ares and General Cherry illustrate this growing momentum.
Following Alta Ares’ recent €50 million Series A financing, this partnership marks an important milestone for both companies, reinforcing European-Ukrainian cooperation in the development of next-generation counter-UAS capabilities.
Bringing AI-powered autonomous interception to the battlefield
Under the agreement, General Cherry will integrate Alta Ares’ proprietary Pixel Lock AI-powered terminal guidance software and Cyclop C2 system for mid-course guidance into its Bullet interceptor drone.
Designed for Counter-UAS missions, Pixel Lock assists operators throughout the engagement by detecting, identifying and tracking airborne targets in real time before autonomously guiding the interceptor toward its objective. Leveraging multi-sensor fusion and advanced computer vision, the software maintains precise target tracking and interception even in GNSS-denied and electronically contested environments.
A strategic partnership built on battlefield experience
Founded in Ukraine in the wake of the full-scale invasion, General Cherry was built alongside Ukrainian soldiers and continues to evolve through frontline operational feedback. Today, it is one of Ukraine’s leading interceptor drone manufacturers.
The partnership combines General Cherry’s battlefield-proven interceptor platform with Alta Ares’ cutting-edge AI guidance technologies to deliver a new generation of autonomous interception capabilities.
Together, the two companies aim to provide armed forces with greater precision, resilience and operational efficiency to counter increasingly sophisticated drone threats on today’s battlefield.
“Bullet already fights for real, no GPS, jammed all around, that’s just a normal day for us. Pixel Lock and Cyclop C2 give better guidance in exactly those conditions, so more hits, fewer misses. Alta Ares brings the strong AI side, we bring a drone the war itself already tested. Together it’s a finished product, not a prototype, and it’s needed now”, Stanislav Hryshyn, co-founder, General Cherry said.
“We are proud to partner with one of Ukraine’s leading interceptor drone manufacturers. Combining General Cherry’s combat-proven expertise with Alta Ares’ AI-powered guidance technologies will accelerate the development of more precise, resilient and autonomous counter-drone capabilities for the battlefield”, said Hadrien Canter, CEO of Alta Ares.
About Alta Ares
Alta Ares (French Company) is a defense technology company specializing in air defense and autonomous systems. Founded in 2024, with a current footprint across Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, the company designs and builds a comprehensive, combat-proven air defense platform for its clients, seamlessly integrating software (detection, tracking, terminal guidance) and hardware (interceptors). Alta Ares systems are actively deployed across multiple operational theaters.
About General Cherry
Founded in Ukraine in the wake of the full-scale invasion, General Cherry is one of the country’s leading manufacturers of interceptor drones, including its battlefield-proven Bullet platform. Built alongside Ukrainian soldiers and shaped by continuous frontline feedback, the company develops counter-UAS systems for the armed forces and is expanding internationally through partnerships with global defense technology companies.
Source: Alta Ares and General Cherry
