Kyiv and London Seal License Deal for Large-Scale Manufacturing of Octopus Drones
Ukraine and the United Kingdom have signed a licensing agreement for the production of the Ukrainian Octopus interceptor drone at British facilities.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
“Together with our allies, we are developing Ukraine's air defense capabilities,” said Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal.
According to him, the agreement between the delegations of the defense ministries of Ukraine and the United Kingdom sets a unique precedent, as this is the first time that a Ukrainian development in the field of unmanned systems will be produced abroad in a partner country.
Licensed production in the UK will enable the mass production of interceptors. According to plans, this will involve several thousand units per month.
“The manufactured equipment will be transferred to Ukraine to strengthen the protection of our skies,” Shmyhal said.
Octopus is a Ukrainian drone interceptor developed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and tested in real combat against Russian “Shaheds.”
Unlike traditional air defense missiles, it is significantly cheaper to produce and at the same time very effective in destroying kamikaze drones and missiles approaching their targets. Octopus is capable of operating at night, at low altitudes, and in conditions of active electronic warfare.
Three Ukrainian companies have already begun mass production, and eleven more are preparing to join, allowing for a rapid increase in the number of interceptors to protect Ukrainian airspace.
As The Gaze informed earlier, the United Kingdom is preparing to deploy a new line of domestically produced drones to form a so-called “drone wall” designed to bolster NATO’s defenses against Russia.
Read more on The Gaze: Why the “Drone Wall” is Needed for NATO and Ukraine