France orders 5,000 drones from Dassault-backed startup Harmattan AI

June 23 (Reuters) - France is ordering 5,000 soldier drones from French startup Harmattan AI, the army ministry said on Tuesday, one of the country's biggest purchases of small drones as it rushes to boost drone production.

• The drones will be delivered to the French army no later than early 2027, the ministry said in a statement. They will follow an initial batch of 1,000 drones delivered by Harmattan AI in January 2026.

• France's first defence unicorn, Harmattan AI was created in 2024 and counts Dassault Aviation among its investors. It produces small military drones.

• The procurement of the drones "is the result of a simplified requirements process stemming from discussions between the State and the industry," the statement said. Domestic drone production has become crucial to European countries due to their decisive role in the war in Ukraine.

(Reporting by Florence Loève. Editing by Mark Potter)