Ukrainian Armor is considering the possibility of licensed production of the ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs.)
In an interview with Ekonomichna Pravda, Vladyslav Belbas, the CEO of Ukrainian Armor, reported.
Read more: Ukrainian Armor Revealed Details about the Supply and Licensed Production of ASCOD IFV for the Armed Forces of Ukraine
“The experience of modern warfare has demonstrated the enormous value of armored vehicles in saving the lives of our military. That is why we plan to supply and produce NATO-standard armored fighting vehicles in Ukraine,” Vladyslav Belbas noted.
The CEO of Ukrainian Armor said that "for now, there should be a purchase of a test batch, and then negotiations on the localization of production will begin. The Swedish CV-90 is a competitor in this segment, but its production in Ukraine is not yet considered."
That happened because the prospects of large-scale updates to the Ukrainian armored fleet previously relied solely on official statements and agreements regarding a thousand CV90s produced by Ukraine in a joint effort with Sweden.
The proposed sequence for the localization project of the ASCOD IFV is to purchase a test batch first, followed by transitioning to localized production. This seems rational: if the military successfully tests the ASCOD in real conditions and is satisfied, the contract issuance process will become much more favorable.
As reported by Defense Express in early December of this year, Ukrainian Armor has been working on technical and negotiation aspects within the framework of the ASCOD IFV production project for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"The Ukrainian Armor is currently addressing technical challenges associated with establishing the production of the IFVs while concurrently engaging in negotiation processes. The progress is somewhat slowed down by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine which hasn't yet formulated specific requirements for an infantry fighting vehicle," previously reported by Bohdan Petriv, the deputy chief engineer of JSC Ukrainian Armor.
The Ukrainian Armor's vice-chief engineer is positive that once the defense ministry finalizes decisions and sets up all the production cooperation processes efficiently, his company will be able to manufacture approximately 100 IFVs annually.
Read more: ASCOD vs. CV90 Rivalry on the Ukrainian Defense Market: Essential Facts About These IFVs
