BLUF:
Ukraine is facing a new Russian threat in jet-powered, cheap and highly maneuverable weapon systems combining the characteristics of drones and missiles.
Jet-powered interceptors, machine-vision turrets, and aircraft are being used to strike Russian threats but experts caution it will take months and money to effectively scale these countermeasures.
Some Ukrainian manufacturers are developing gasoline-powered UGVs in a bid to create a new niche in a market dominated by quiet electric unmanned vehicles. Gasoline-powered models promise speed, proponents say, but trade-offs include noise and thermal footprint, raising questions over their viability on the battlefield.
Several Ukrainian manufacturers expect to expand joint drone production with German partners within months, following the announcement of agreements and projects worth billions of euros during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit last weekend. However, plans to increase delivery of Patriot missiles for Ukrainian air defenses and cooperate on the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile initiative may take years to bear fruit.
A Ukrainian military unit for the first time used an amphibious UGV for a combat mission. The UGV, however, had to be reconfigured by the military unit over months to ensure its combat readiness.
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The Arsenal partners with the 6th UK – Ukraine Defence Tech Forum in London
The Arsenal is once again a Media Partner of the 6th UK-UA Defence Tech Forum, taking place on November 20 at RUSI in London with the official support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK.
The conference series was established to strengthen industrial collaboration among Ukrainian, British and international defence-tech firms, as well as the venture capital and investment communities, with the aim of scaling up production and accelerating R&D and innovation. To date, the series has attracted more than 1,500 participants, and registration has closed well in advance of each event.
Tim Mak, The Arsenal’s Founder and Editor, will moderate a panel at the Forum.
The Arsenal subscribers receive a 25% discount on the registration fee. When registering on the forum webpage, simply enter the code Arsenal25. For questions, contact the organisers at [email protected].
1. Some manufacturers are betting on gas-powered UGVs
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By: Oksana Zabolotna
Ukraine’s participation in the European Defence Fund
Draft Law №0390 dated September 4, 2026
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Maksym Vasylchecko, CEO and founder of Tencore, a Ukrainian UGV manufacturer, will replace Oleksandr Kamyshin as chairman of the Ukrainian Council of Defense Industries board.
Nataliia Mykolska, former executive director of Diia.City United, is joining Sine Engineering, where she will work on global development.
Oleksandr Strelnykov has joined Ukrainian manufacturer of thermal imaging cameras Oko Camera as Chief Strategic Communications Officer.
Vyriy Industries, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer, is looking for a head of strategic partner relations in the miltech sector.
Kvertus, a Ukrainian EW and SIGINT systems manufacturer, is looking to fill several positions across the company, including CMO, codification manager, head of production, and head of product.
M-FLY, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer, is looking for a computer numerical control (CNC) programmer-engineer.
Ukrainian manufacturer of drones and software Buntar Aerospace is looking for a Chief Product and Technology Officer.
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Ukrainska Bavovna (UB) is raising €4.5M for a 49 percent equity stake (€2.0M for production scaling and €2.5M for working capital). The Infrastructure Air-Defense Complex (IADC) is an integrated, non-ballistic air defense system designed for a 100 km operational range and a 5 km altitude ceiling. It combines best-in-class components from multiple manufacturers – including Electronic Warfare, radar systems, fixed-wing and jet interceptors, multicopter (tail-sitter) interceptors, and automated turrets – unified by a proprietary software command layer. IADC is currently in the planning and fundraising stage.
UB currently produces a NSN-codified fixed-wing interceptor, with active sales of 100 units/month and a target scale of 300 units/month and is working on a jet interceptor currently in development (TRL 3-4). According to Taras Byk, the company's Investor Relations Manager, funding will accelerate UB’s core product lineup and establish a dedicated R&D integration team for the IADC complex.
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Buntar Aerospace, a Ukrainian software and drone developer, has raised $16 million in funding in a round led by Freedom Fund, a U.S. venture capital fund, Buntar Aerospace told The Arsenal. The company plans to expand its production and product line and enter international markets.
The Ukrainian manufacturer Aura-Ukraine is working on Aura 3K Mini electronic warfare (EW) systems that can be mounted on heavy bombers, the Dignitas Foundation supporting Ukrainian Defense Forces told The Arsenal. The EW system has a spherical coverage area and is designed to protect heavy bombers, which are major targets of Russian FPV drones. The system is currently undergoing combat testing.
Ukrainian combat simulator developer L7 Simulators has received NATO codification for its entire line of simulators, the company told The Arsenal. The manufacturer will now be able to codify all of its products and secure government contracts both in Ukraine and in NATO member countries. The company currently has more than 50 simulators.
Ukrainian company Frontline Robotics has unveiled its new Frodo UGV for logistics, evacuation, and strike missions, the company told The Arsenal. The UGV has a maximum payload capacity of 400 kg and an effective payload capacity of 200 kg, with a range of up to 150 km. It has already been codified by Ukraine’s MoD.
Former U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll — who in 2025 established a now defunct experimental battalion based in Italy to prepare the U.S. for modern warfare — in a wide-ranging feature for the first time outlines how unprepared the U.S. Army is in the way of modern warfare, especially drones and electronic warfare.
