This time, after improving the drones according to the comments submitted by the Ukrainians, five Lithuanian companies producing combat drones successfully appeared.
“Lithuania aims to promote the production of drones and anti-drones. It is also very relevant for the Ukrainian side. Ukrainians share their experience on the operation of drones on the battlefield, test the drones of our manufacturers, and after choosing the most suitable ones, they will sign contracts with the companies that manufacture them. This is a huge encouragement and a significant step for our drone manufacturers, because drone technologies and capabilities are a necessary condition for having a modern armed forces,” said Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kačiūnas.
The drones of Lithuanian manufacturers brought to Ukraine for testing differed in terms of their technical characteristics, components, and the innovative technologies used. Representatives of the Ukrainian army evaluated the submitted examples and prepared recommendations.
In the near future, taking into account the assessments and proposals made by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Lithuanian manufacturers who participated in the tests will be invited to submit final proposals and contracts will be signed.
It is planned to allocate 5 million Lithuanian drones for support to Ukraine. euros, in addition, the same equipment will be purchased for the needs of the Lithuanian army (up to 3 million euros).
The Ministry of National Defense pays a lot of attention to the development of drone capabilities, creating an active ecosystem of drones in which a soldier, a shooter or a student finds their role.
In early July, the Defense Resources Agency under the Ministry of National Defense also signed contracts for the purchase of various types of drones. It is intended to purchase small-class reconnaissance drones from the Latvian company “Edge Autonomy”, and it has been agreed to purchase mini-class reconnaissance drones from Estonian manufacturers “Threod Systems”.
An agreement was also signed with UAB “Deftools” regarding the purchase of micro-class (quadcopter) drones. The value of these acquisitions is almost 36 million. euros. The vast majority of drones will be delivered this autumn, the rest – at the beginning of 2025. Purchases are carried out on an urgent basis in order to strengthen the capacity of unmanned aerial vehicles as soon as possible and integrate them into the capabilities of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
2024-08-07 21:04:22