Ukraine Enhances Air Defense: Helicopter Expansion and Bell Textron Cooperation
Ukraine and the American corporation Bell Textron Inc. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that paves the way for the creation of Ukraine's own production and service capabilities in the field of aviation technology.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.
The signing took place during the AUSA 2025 international exhibition in Washington between the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine and Bell Textron Inc, one of the world's leading manufacturers of helicopters and aerospace systems.
The document provides for the development of industrial cooperation and the creation of conditions for the localization of helicopter production in Ukraine.
The memorandum provides for the opening of a Bell representative office in Ukraine, the creation of a final assembly and testing center (FACO), as well as exploring opportunities for establishing a joint venture with Ukrainian partners.
The company also plans to transfer the technology, equipment, and tools necessary to organize production, and Ukrainian engineers will undergo training in the United States.
According to Deputy Minister Vitaliy Kindrativ, this agreement will be an important step in the development of high-tech engineering, the creation of new jobs, and the revival of the Ukrainian rotary-wing industry.
Ukraine is forming new helicopter units to counter Russian kamikaze drones, which regularly attack Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that additional helicopter groups will be created to strengthen the army aviation's ability to defend the country's airspace.
“We determined how to expand the capabilities of army aviation to protect against drones,” he said on Monday.
Helicopters have become an important tool for air defense because they can respond faster than stationary or ground-based systems to drones detected by radar.
According to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, under favorable conditions, helicopters are capable of shooting down up to 40% of Russian drones in their area of operation.
There are also plans to equip aircraft with technology for round-the-clock threat detection and to develop light aircraft with machine guns to intercept enemy drones.
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