Defense Procurement Agency signed contracts with 102 Ukrainian companies, almost half of which are UAV manufacturers

The “Defense Procurement Agency” of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine concluded contracts with 102 Ukrainian suppliers, of which 45% are manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This was reported by the head of the procurement policy department of the Ministry of Defense, Hleb Kanevskyi v interview “Interfax-Ukraine”.

In the second year of the full-scale invasion of Russia, the Ukrainian defense-industrial complex (ODC) tripled to $3 billion. Among the 500 defense companies operating in this market, 80% are private.

According to Kanevsky, 70% of the contracts of the “Defense Procurement Agency” were concluded with Ukrainian manufacturers, and 30% – with foreign ones. Ukrainian manufacturers mainly supply armored vehicles, mortars, self-propelled artillery, etc. They buy things abroad that were either never produced in Ukraine or lost technology during the period of independence, including air defense systems, missiles for them, and various ammunition, especially 155-caliber projectiles that meet NATO standards.

“In general, contracts have now been concluded with 102 Ukrainian suppliers or manufacturers, of which 45% are UAV manufacturers”, he explained.

We are talking about manufacturers or suppliers who manufacture their products on the territory of Ukraine from foreign components and sell them to the Ministry of Defense through the “Defense Procurement Agency”, delivering them to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

At “State rear operator”, the rate of contracts with Ukrainian manufacturers is somewhat higher, since the light and food industries have developed production in Ukraine.

“Currently, we deal with 180 Ukrainian suppliers, of which 110 are goods, 45 are food, and more than 25 companies are fuel and lubricants.” Kanevsky noted.

He also emphasized that international companies that want to work with the rear area of ​​the Armed Forces should consider the possibility of localizing their production. The Armed Forces submit special technical specification requirements for all groups of rear support products.

The estimated budget of the “State Rear Operator” and “Defense Procurement Agency” agencies is currently about UAH 280 billion, and this amount will be increased as the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine grow.