BLUF:
Ukrainian units are mounting net guns on UGVs and aerial drones to capture Russian drones, including those used in ambushes.
But their short range means they complement rather than replace the shotguns commonly used against FPV drones, potentially limiting wider adoption.
Ukrainian startup HIMERA and Danish satellite maker GomSpace are planning to attract external investment and develop ground infrastructure in a next step to develop domestic satellite communications capabilities for Ukraine after the companies launched their first test satellite OBRIA NANO earlier this month.
The 2nd Khartiia Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine is conducting an underground counteroffensive, codenamed Operation Veles, using old gas pipelines near Kupiansk to repel Russian forces that have used the network for infiltration since 2025. Aerial drones are targeting Russian troops emerging from the pipelines, while Starlink and repeaters support communications above and below ground.
Ukraine has reduced the share of defense-industry employees exempt from mobilisation from 100 percent to 95 percent. Manufacturers argue that full exemption should remain available, particularly for enterprises fulfilling state weapons contracts.
If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here to get our emails.
The Arsenal offers consulting and custom research services. Need talented experts on the ground to answer a due diligence or business question? We’ve got you covered! Email us here!
Military units turn to net launchers for short-range drone defense
Only The Arsenal's paid subscribers can read The Big Story. Upgrade your subscription to receive the latest updates.
Interested in sponsoring The Arsenal?
The Arsenal? Since our launch, we’ve accumulated more than 4,500 subscribers focused on military innovation. This includes Western primes, defense companies, allied governments and startups. Want your messaging to target this highly sought-after demographic?
1. After Starlink interruption, Ukrainian startup launches test satellite for military comms
Only The Arsenal's paid subscribers can read Business Lunch Topics. Upgrade your subscription to receive the latest updates.
By: Oksana Zabolotna
Changes to the rules on international technical and military assistance
Resolution of the CMU №1102 dated September 9, 2026
Only The Arsenal's paid subscribers can read Ukrainian Orders/Legislation We’re Tracking. Upgrade your subscription to receive the latest updates.
Professional movement, promotions and industry news.
Know someone in the defense tech space who has made a professional move? Drop us a line at [email protected]!
Marat Utiushev, co-founder of the DELTA system and former head of the MoD Center for Innovation and Defense Technologies Development, is joining the advisory board of Ukrainian software and drone company Buntar Aerospace, the company told The Arsenal. The board works to support its strategic development and expansion into international markets.
David Raykos has started as head of corporate services at Ukrainian defense tech company Drone Forge.
Ukrainian defense tech company Sine Engineering is hiring across business development, business enablement and engineering roles.
Skyeton, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer, is looking for a hardware engineer to join its team.
RISE Technologies Ukraine develops and manufactures battlefield-proven technologies for resilient communications, RF sensing, and unmanned systems. Their solutions are already deployed with Ukrainian military units, with demonstrated customer demand supporting further production scale-up.
With in-house R&D, engineering, and manufacturing, RISE can rapidly develop and adapt technologies based on operational needs. Our products are built without Chinese electronic components, strengthening supply-chain security for international markets.
RISE is looking for investment and strategic international cooperation to accelerate its next stage of growth. “We are open to strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and joint R&D opportunities that can support production scale-up, technology development, and expansion into European and US defense markets,” said Oleksandr Brisov, CEO of RISE Technologies Ukraine.
The 475th Assault Regiment’s CODE 9.2 unit evacuated two wounded soldiers within a week using a StarGate aerial evac case, the brigade said on Facebook. The evacuation was carried out with the assistance of Skyfall, the company that developed StarGate. In this case, an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) could not be deployed due to difficult terrain and water obstacles.
More on the aerial evacuation of a wounded soldier using the Audag-6 drone here.
German defense tech company Helsing unveiled the autonomous air defense system Contra. The system aims to counter jet-powered drones and cruise missiles and consists of AD-1 Inferno and AD-2 Ambush interceptors. They are currently undergoing flight testing. Mass production is planned for the second half of 2027.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense officially announced this week that Starlink connectivity had been restored and was operating stably at speeds above 400 km/h. During the disruptions the speeds were limited to 160 km/h.
You can read about the consequences of last week’s Starlink restrictions here.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and Finnish satellite and telco companies ICEYE and Nokia last week signed a letter of intent to create a sovereign satellite communications network for Ukraine. ICEYE and Nokia plan to develop a low-Earth orbit satellite network for government and defence needs.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has failed to sign the documents to supply PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles and missiles for NASAMS to Ukraine for almost a month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week. Ukraine is now working with European partners and other countries to secure the supplies.
BlueBird Tech, a Ukrainian defense tech company, announced this week the opening of a Starlink terminal repair center, the company told The Arsenal. Since Ukraine has no dedicated service center for repairing Starlink terminals, the company decided to establish one. The center will handle both physical damage and software-related issues.
The company said the service can help military units cut costs by repairing terminals instead of purchasing new ones.
Ukrainian drone company TAF Industries and Estonian-Ukrainian defense company DOD Solution have integrated an AI module for automatic terminal guidance into TAF’s Kolibri 10 Advance drones, DOD Solution told The Arsenal. The drones have already been tested in combat conditions and are available for order using e-points on the Brave1 Market.
