Ukrainian defense industry has established the manufacture of NATO-standard equipment and works on expanding the volumes and capacities, said the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi during an interview to Ukrainian journalist Nataliia Moseichuk.
The details have been published by the President's Office. Zelenskyi said there were several programs launched at the state-owned JSC "Ukrainian Defense Industry," including a missile program. On a side note, it was a new undisclosed Ukrainian-made missile that managed to hit a russian S-400 system in Crimea a few days ago.
Read more: New Ukrainian Missile was Used for the Strike on S-400: Specifications and Capabilities Breakdown
Besides new projects, the President stated that production rates of some domestic weapon products have gone up: Stuhna and Corsar anti-tank systems and Neptun anti-ship missiles which were used for the destruction of the Moskva cruiser, the flagship of the russian Black Sea Fleet in April 2022.
Defense Express also recommends this slightly outdated but interesting article recalling the origins of the Neptun development program, the reaction of russians, and the technologies implemented in this missile.
In addition, the President recalls a noteworthy detail about negotiating the production of Swedish CV90 armored vehicles in Ukraine with the partners:
"For example, CV90 – they wanted it to be public. I didn't mind, but now we have to hide the plant. However, this is important. We will get the armored vehicle and the technology. And then it depends on our partners when we will be able to implement these technologies in Ukraine. There will be a lot of such technologies in our country, I am sure of it," Zelenskyi said.
He also mentioned the production of Ukrainian artillery systems of 155mm caliber, the standard caliber for NATO and quite new to the Ukrainian army that has been using Soviet-era 122mm and 152mm guns.
However, the situation changed entirely since russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and international partners supplied Ukraine with all sorts of artillery, and 155mm became commonplace for the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
So far the only publicly known weapon of the new 155mm caliber developed by Ukraine is the 2S22 Bohdana.
"Now have production, and not just of one system [at a time], but systematic production," the President noted. "It is yet too few in terms of the needs of the frontline but still times more than it was before."
Zelensky announced a military tech forum taking place October this year which will be attended by many leading defense industry companies from around the world. There might be contracts signed at this event, he suggested.
Read more: Ukraine Entices Global Defense Industry Giants to Breathe Life Into Local Defense Industry, Ensure Defense Capability
