BLUF:
Fedorov this week said his new fund will invest in battlefield robotics, interceptor drones, and low-cost AI-enabled missiles to ramp up tech solutions countering Russian drone warfare. With Palantir CEO Alex Karp its first investor, sources say many foreigners have expressed interest in investing. But critics are appalled by what they say is insider dealing that threatens Ukrainian security, due to tech leakage to other countries.
Russian FPV drones have started to massively target the use of UGVs and heavy bombers on the frontline, forcing Ukrainian companies to develop new protective systems fast. One recent option includes mounting EW systems on these platforms but further efforts are required to create a layered protection system – EW, early warning, signal intelligence, and active interception.
Wild Hornets, a Ukrainian drone company, has announced that their Sting interceptors have been used on unmanned surface platform Magura MV11, which was created specifically for use at sea. While the system has been used since spring, details have only now been made public.
Ukrainian military officials responding in private to a recent decision to disband the only U.S. drone battalion in Europe point out that the U.S. had received Ukrainian drone technology by that point, making continued involvement less urgent. That however, could leave U.S. operators out of the loop, given operational experience and tactics are constantly evolving.
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Why Fedorov’s new career moves leaves deftech community concerned
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1. Ukrainian manufacturers launch new protective systems for UGVs and heavy bomber drones against FPV attacks
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Allocation of Export Control Fees to Defense Funding
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Hanna Gvozdiar has been appointed deputy minister of defense. She will be responsible for the defense-industrial complex and exports.
Lola Onipko, co-founder of Invest in Bravery, an initiative to connect international investors with Ukrainian defense tech companies, has started a new position as chief communication officer at Occam Industries, a European defense tech company.
Anton Gera, CEO of the Ukrainian-American defense tech company Codective, has started a new position as expert at NATO DIANA.
Serhii Hoptariev has joined the defense tech company RE-liON, which provides simulation training for the military and other services, as customer success and testing manager.
Yevhen Kovalevskiy, has joined Ukrainian defense tech company The Fourth Law as VP of engineering.
Ukrainian defense tech company BlueBird Tech is expanding its R&D team and is looking for engineers specializing in UGVs, antennas, net guns, battery systems, and relay communication.
UV Military Cluster is an alliance of 19 Ukrainian manufacturers of unmanned systems working to meet the needs of the Ukrainian Defense Forces for FPV kamikaze drones, electronic warfare systems, and aerial interceptors. The cluster recently launched its own product line on the market — including the SKAZHENYI FPV interceptor, which is currently undergoing combat testing and is already being supplied to National Police and Navy units.
"We plan to build up an inventory of finished interceptors and other drone types, and we're seeking $300,000–$1,000,000 in funding for this,” said Danylo Kholiavko, co-founder and commercial director of UV Military Cluster, adding funds would go directly into components and finished products in stock, not into operating expenses. The alliance plans a sale of their products in November and December, coinciding with the end of the manufacturing production cycle.
The Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation has released documents that show China shipped materials to Russia for the production of suicide drones, Politico reported. According to the documents, the Chinese state-owned company Jilin Chemical Fiber Group shipped approximately 46 metric tons of carbon chemicals to a subsidiary of Rosatom — the main developer of components for suicide drones — in Russia.
Romania’s Internal Intelligence Service uncovered and thwarted a Russian intelligence sabotage operation, it said in a press release this week. A Russian citizen was reportedly ordered to take photos and videos of NATO military facilities and critical infrastructure and transmit the footage via Ukrainian Antonov cargo planes.
The news follows an attempt in August to blow up an Antonov model in the German city of Leipzig, which was thwarted by local security services when a drone struck the plane’s wing but failed to detonate.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed the critical status of 86 percent of defense enterprises, allowing them to exempt their employees from mobilization. The companies that didn’t have their status renewed, may resubmit their applications.
The number of targets struck with AI-based automatic guidance modules has increased tenfold since the beginning of the year, according to the Ukrainian defense cluster Brave1 and Ukraine’s MoD. Manufacturers now hope to scale their use in military missions after a successful test cycle, formally greenlighting the modules’ procurement.
Drone using Ai-guidance module to hit target. Screenshot from Facebook video shared by Brave1 and MoD.
Danish defense company Søens Tech has unveiled the Shadowflin underwater strike kamikadze drone for use against ships and coastal infrastructure, which will be tested in Ukraine, Naval News reported. The drone is 7 meters long, and its warhead weighs 300 kg. A camera, sensors, or GPS can be mounted on the drone’s mast.
Joint production of the Ukrainian Bars jet drone has begun in Europe. The first deliveries to the Ukrainian Armed Forces are scheduled to begin on October 10, Bars’ manufacturer said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. Ukraine uses Bars for deep and medium-range strikes, and along the frontline. It has a range of 1,000 km, a speed of 700 km/h, and a payload of up to 60 kg.
