Redwire passes 300 Penguin ISR drones delivered to Ukraine, fields higher-flying Mk2X

Redwire said on 28 September 2026 that it has now delivered more than 300 of its Penguin reconnaissance drones to Ukraine since 2022, and that the version flying there today — the upgraded Penguin Mk2X — climbs significantly higher than the aircraft first sent at the start of the war, making it harder for Russian first-person-view (FPV) attack drones to reach.

The Penguin is a small fixed-wing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform. Redwire said Ukraine's forces chose the Mk2X mainly for its endurance, range and altitude; the drone carries Redwire's Octopus 180 stabilised camera, made in Latvia, for longer-range, higher-accuracy target observation. Redwire, best known for spacecraft components, entered the drone business in 2025 when it acquired Penguin maker Edge Autonomy, and describes itself as the largest defence company in the Baltic states. The Penguin is designed, built and flight-tested in Riga, Latvia, where Redwire also trains Ukrainian operators.

Read more: The Defence Blog