Ukraine plans $550 million drone funding in 2023

KYIV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s navy will spend practically $550 million on drones in 2023, and 16 provide offers have already been signed with Ukrainian producers, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov mentioned on Monday.

Each Ukrainian and Russian forces have used a big selection of Unmanned Aerial Automobiles (UAVs), generally generally known as drones, for reconnaissance and assault functions throughout 11 months of warfare.

“In 2023, we’re growing the procurement of UAVs for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Reznikov wrote on Fb. “We plan to allocate about 20 billion hryvnias ($547.05 million) to this section.”

Ukraine has obtained vital provides of UAVs from its companions, from Turkey’s missile-equipped Bayraktar TB2 to the Norwegian-made Black Hornet reconnaissance drone, which weighs lower than 33 grams.

Kyiv is now looking for to spice up home manufacturing to construct what officers forged as an “military of drones”.

“The independence of the military-industrial complicated is likely one of the elements of the nation’s defence functionality,” Reznikov wrote.

Ukraine’s navy introduced final week it could start creating assault drone corporations inside its armed forces, and Reznikov mentioned the Defence Ministry had obtained purposes proposing 75 completely different Ukrainian-made drones.

“After consultations with the Normal Workers of the Armed Forces, after assessments, the Ministry of Defence has already concluded 16 state contracts with Ukrainian UAV producers,” he wrote.

($1 = 36.5600 hryvnias)

(Reporting by Max Hunder, Modifying by Timothy Heritage)