The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has signed a memorandum of understanding with German Diehl Defence, which produces IRIS-T systems and is “an important part of Ukraine’s air defense shield.” The agreement paves the way for large industrial projects that will strengthen the capabilities of Ukrainian air defense. In addition, the memorandum provides for an increase in the supply of missiles and air defense systems by 200%.
Note that IRIS-T is an anti-aircraft missile system designed to destroy cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs. Ukraine has already received these systems in two versions: medium and short range.
As well, the Ministry of Defense plans to increase the volume of its drone purchases by 200% compared to the previous year, reaching 4.5 million FPV drones this year. This number of UAVs can be produced by the domestic defense industry. It is planned to allocate more than ₴110B ($2.6B) for drone purchases, of which more than ₴102B will be spent through the Defense Procurement Agency.