U.S. Reps. Jim Costa (D-CA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Wesley Bell (D-MO), and Mike Quigley (D-IL) have introduced legislation aimed at strengthening American military innovation through a partnership with Ukraine.
The legislation, the Frontline Innovation Act, would authorize the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit to evaluate and invest in Ukrainian defense technologies, which would allow the United States to benefit from innovations developed and refined on the Ukrainian battlefield.
In the war between Ukraine and Russia, Ukraine has emerged as a leader in modern defense technologies through its advanced drone technologies and electronic warfare tools that are being tested and improved under real combat conditions against Russia’s invasion. The innovations offer valuable opportunities to strengthen the U.S. defense capabilities while supporting Ukraine, officials said.
“Ukraine has demonstrated extraordinary resilience in the face of Russia’s aggression, and Ukrainians are innovating and developing new defense technologies under some of the most challenging conditions imaginable,” Costa, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe and the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said. “This bipartisan bill will help strengthen our national security by investing in technologies that have been tested on the battlefield, while continuing to support Ukraine’s fight to defend its sovereignty.”
Currently, U.S. defense cooperation agreements have not kept pace with technological advancements, the law makers said. The last U.S.-Ukraine agreement on exchanging military research and development information was signed in 2001. While the Defense Innovation Unity has worked with the Ukrainian government since 2023, legal barriers limit the unit from expanding the partnerships and investing in Ukrainian defense technologies.
“Ukraine is fighting for its survival against Putin’s illegal invasion, and its forces have been forced to innovate at an extraordinary pace,” Bacon said. “They are proving new drones, unmanned systems and electronic warfare capabilities against Russia in real combat, and our military should be learning from that experience. I’m joining Rep. Costa in introducing the bipartisan Frontline Innovation Act to help bring battlefield-proven technologies into our own defense innovation system and strengthen our military while continuing to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom.”
The legislation would expand defense cooperation with Ukraine, strengthen U.S. defense capabilities, allow technology proven in combat to reach the U.S. military faster, and support Ukraine.