Ukrainian drone manufacturers seek government approval for export of surplus production
This was stated by Vadym Yunyk, president of the “Technological Forces of Ukraine” association, during an event on the development of unmanned systems.
“We need controlled export because not everything produced by manufacturers is needed by the Ukrainian army. Exporting will provide additional opportunities for research and expanding the product range,” Yunyk said, as reported by Hromadske.
According to him, “the state is afraid of speculation,” fearing that foreign partners might accuse Ukraine of requesting weapons abroad while exporting its own.
“It concerns controlled export, where there is a ban on exporting certain groups of goods, such as ammunition,” Yunyk noted.
He added that many components come from China, which could eventually close these supplies, making it necessary to organize local production of all drone components in Ukraine.
Moreover, due to delays of three to four months for some drone components to reach Ukraine, there are supply gaps for the defense forces. To finance the purchase of these components, manufacturers need prepayments, which require direct contracts, Yunyk explained.
Previously, the “Technological Forces of Ukraine” (TSU) association, which includes major drone and technology product manufacturers, conducted a survey among 35 companies involved in defense orders. 38% of companies reported that over half of their capacities are currently idle. Only a third of respondents said their facilities are fully utilized.
The Zbroyari initiative aims to address this by urging Ukrainian officials at international meetings to seek funding from allies for local weapon production to support domestic defense forces.
