Ukraine Enters Global Arms Ranking as Full-Fledged Weapons Producer for the First Time
For the first time in history, a Ukrainian company has entered the global ranking of the largest arms manufacturers.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to a post made by the CEO of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Joint Stock Company, German Smetanin, on Telegram.
SIPRI has published its ranking of the world's 100 largest arms manufacturers for 2024, in which a Ukrainian company, Ukrainian Defense Industry (Ukroboronprom), appears for the first time.
According to the report, the company ranked 52nd in the overall ranking and sixth in terms of revenue growth, which amounted to $3.0 billion in 2024, 41% more than in 2023. This growth is in line with the European average, despite the difficult conditions for production during the war.
In total, the world's 100 largest defense companies received $679 billion from arms sales in 2024, with growth primarily driven by the US and Europe, while revenues of Asian manufacturers, particularly China, declined slightly.
Lockheed Martin, RTX Corporation, and Northrop Grumman from the US, as well as BAE Systems from the UK, remain the leaders in the ranking.
“Ukroboronprom and the companies that are part of the Group have active partnerships with almost all of these companies,” wrote the company's CEO.
UDI's growth rate in 2024 brought it to fourth place in Europe and sixth in the world, demonstrating the high potential of the Ukrainian defense sector.
Ukraine’s state defense industry company, remains highly active on the international stage, securing numerous partnerships that strengthen the country’s defense capabilities.
During the International Defense Industry Forum (DFNC3), Ukroboronprom signed agreements with partners from the USA, Spain, and Romania. Discussions focused on joint technological development, production, and training of Ukrainian specialists. Notably, an agreement with American company LeVanta Tech Inc. covered cooperation on the “float-and-fly” concept and solutions to improve speed and stability of products, with production plans in Ukraine.
These agreements highlight Ukraine’s growing role as both a producer and innovator in the defense industry, with more than 40% of weapons currently used on the front lines being manufactured in Ukraine or with its participation.
As The Gaze reported earlier, according to the Defense Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine is becoming a global center for the production of modern security solutions. In three years, the state's defense capabilities have grown 35 times, and the total potential of the Ukrainian defense industry in 2025 is estimated at $35 billion.