BLUF:
The Ukrainian drone industry is trying to move away from importing Chinese components, having mostly localized motors, frames, electronic modules among others. However, components that are expensive to manufacture at large scale, such as cameras and navigation modules, are still difficult to source locally. The vulnerability of the components to cyber risks is of increasing concern to manufacturers.
With Russia stepping up daytime jet-powered drone strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region, Ukraine is developing interceptors to push the interception rate above 90 percent this fall.
Hydrophones have been tested to detect vessels and other underwater objects using sound, with the technology planned for use to protect ports and other critical underwater infrastructure.
UGVs deployed on the frontline need to become faster and more robust to better survive Russian strikes, raising manufacturing costs.
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Increasing drone complexity brings new risk
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Lola Onipko has left her post as executive director of Invest in Bravery, an initiative connecting Ukrainian defense tech startups with international investors.
Invest in Bravery co-founder Ryan Grant Little will take over the role. Onipko will remain on the organization’s board and will also join a defense company, a move that has not yet been announced.
Arsen Zhumadilov has stepped down as director of the Defence Procurement Agency DOT.
Artem Romaniukov will temporarily step into the role of director of DOT until the Supervisory Board appoints a new permanent director.
Ukrainian-Estonian startup Farsight Vision is seeking a Robotics Engineer.
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, is looking for an Airspace Active Defense Specialist.
LIRA Engineering is a Ukrainian defense-tech R&D company that works at the intersection of engineering, operational experience and product development.
The company's work spans UAVs, UGVs, EW, autonomous systems, communications technologies, secure communications, AI, robotics and sensing technologies. LIRA develops proprietary technologies and IP, working closely with military users, engineers and manufacturers to test, adapt and improve solutions based on real operational needs.
Partners include the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine, Defence Tech Community and European Defense Tech Hub, said Maksym Stepanchuk, Business Development Manager. “We are open to strategic partnerships, investment and international cooperation to scale Ukrainian defense innovations,” he added.
Contact email: [email protected]
Mykhailo Fedorov this week announced the establishment of a new defense tech investment fund with investment from Palantir. Alongside investing in Ukrainian defense tech companies, the initiative aims to launch new companies that develop critical technologies, including robotics, jet-powered interceptor drones, and low-cost AI-enabled missiles.
A group of U.S. lawmakers has demanded an explanation from the U.S. military regarding the disbandment of a European unit specializing in drones, the Associated Press reported.
The U.S. had a special brigade in Europe that developed its own drones and drew on Ukrainian experience in drone warfare, but on August 20, it was disbanded without a clear explanation.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur on Wednesday resigned amid a defense procurement scandal involving planned artillery shell deliveries to Ukraine. Estonia had made advance payments worth 70 million euros to an Indian company, which failed to honor the contract and deliver the shells. The scandal has triggered a broader government review of defense contracts.
More than 130 Ukrainian companies already have access to the TrophyLab catalog of captured Russian weapons, according to data released at the end of August. Ukraine’s MoD launched the platform in June. More background from The Arsenal here.
Foreign companies have submitted more than 300 requests to access the platform and examine samples of Russian weapons. Companies not only have the ability to disassemble equipment, but also test countermeasures under controlled conditions.
Russia has announced the start of mass production of the Volnа Kupol Garant electronic warfare systems designed to jam Starlink signals. A single system can cover an area of about 20 square kilometers. More background from The Arsenal here.
Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state-owned railway operator, has received EW systems from Unwave, an EW manufacturer, designed to protect critical infrastructure from drones using mesh networks. Railway infrastructure and trains have become a priority target for Russia. According to preliminary data, Russia has attacked Ukrainian railways around 1,500 times so far this year, often focusing on trains in transit.
Pravo Ventures, a U.S. investment fund focused on Ukrainian startups, has invested in US-Ukrainian defense tech company Auron Solutions. Its tech, which includes AI-based radar systems, is produced and used in cooperation with Ukrainian forces.
