US Drone Firm Powerus Signs MoU With Pakistan Army, Drawing Attention to Trump Family Ties

A United States drone manufacturer, Powerus, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pakistan Army covering an initial, undisclosed order for unmanned aerial systems. The company's co-founder, Brett Velicovich, confirmed the agreement but declined to reveal details about the technology involved or its value, citing security sensitivities.

Powerus is reported to be merging with Aureus Greenway Holdings, a firm backed by US President Donald Trump's two sons. The merger is expected to be completed by October.

Separate from suspended aid

The arrangement falls outside the framework of American military assistance to Pakistan, which has remained suspended since January 2018, during Trump's first term. That suspension covers US government assistance, including Foreign Military Financing and Coalition Support Fund reimbursements such as grant assistance and counter-terrorism payments.

It does not bar American defence companies from selling military technology to Pakistan. US defence exports generally move through two channels: Foreign Military Sales, where the US government facilitates sales to foreign governments, and Direct Commercial Sales, which allow foreign governments or entities to buy directly from American private companies. Direct Commercial Sales remain subject to US export-control requirements and licensing.

On the Pakistani side, the Directorate General Defence Purchase, under the Ministry of Defence Production, oversees procurement policy, contracting and the acquisition of defence equipment. While the deal fits within the existing legal framework, key details — the specific authorisations of the drones, their quality and the value of the initial order — remain undisclosed.

A long, uneven partnership

The private deal comes against the backdrop of a decades-long, often turbulent security relationship. The first major institutional step came in 1954, when the two countries signed the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement, covering defence equipment and military training for Pakistan. Islamabad subsequently became part of a US-backed regional security bloc and a major recipient of American aid.

The relationship has been marked by deep institutional mistrust, with the two sides often seeking different outcomes: Islamabad has wanted a more assertive US posture against India, while Washington has sought to align Pakistan's security policies with its own.

Even after ties hit their lowest point in 2018 and NATO forces left Afghanistan in 2021, military-to-military contact did not end entirely. In December 2025, Washington approved a USD 686 million package for Pakistan's existing F-16 fleet, covering Link-16 systems, cryptographic equipment, avionics, training and logistical support, aimed at keeping the aircraft operational and interoperable.

The optics of the Powerus deal have drawn attention given the reported involvement of Trump's sons through an investment fund. It reflects a broader pattern in which diplomacy, personal rapport and private capital are closely linked — a pattern also seen in January 2026, when the Pakistani government signed an MoU with an American company affiliated with World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto venture.

Drone capabilities and implications

Pakistan's defence industry already maintains a sustained UAV ecosystem. The state-linked Global Industrial & Defence Solutions markets the Shahpar-II and Shahpar-III UCAVs alongside smaller tactical UAVs, loitering munitions, surveillance payloads and anti-drone systems. The Shahpar-II Block-II is marketed as a medium-altitude, long-endurance armed UAV with autonomous flight, redundant datalinks and a 120-kg external payload capacity.

Pakistan has relied primarily on China and Turkey for drone technology, and its inventory includes Bayraktar TB2, Akinci and Chinese Wing Loong II platforms alongside indigenous systems. The reported "joint technology relationship" with the American company could expand its domestic capabilities.

It remains unclear whether Pakistan holds security-licensed production rights for the Powerus systems; the MoU does not establish a joint production line. Should local manufacturing materialise, Pakistan could gain exposure to integrating foreign sensors, communications and mission systems into its existing drone ecosystem — a sign of efforts to diversify its technological architecture.

For India, the immediate military significance will become clearer over time. An expansion of the MoU into licensed production, technology transfer and a boost to indigenous design would mark a consequential push for Pakistan's defence-industry complex. Still, the history of US-Pakistan ties over seven decades suggests such relationships have deepened when Washington needed Islamabad and receded sharply when American priorities shifted.