United to win: French and Ukrainian companies team up to produce strike drones
Photo: From open sources
The French company Turgis & Gaillard signed an agreement with the Ukrainian company Antonov to produce a smaller, cheaper version of the Aarok drone.
Rubryka reports, referring to the French newspaper LaTribune.
What is the problem?
The Ukrainian-Russian war has long since turned into a "battle of engineers" and a technological war.
Kyiv has used air drones to attack Russian airfields and troops and used water drones against ships and bridges. Ukraine is also a testing ground for unmanned aerial vehicle innovations from global defense suppliers.
Ukraine has largely depended on foreign drones since Russia launched its invasion on February 24, 2022, but it can now produce many different drones thanks to heavy support from new manufacturers.
According to recent statements by senior officials, there are about 200 drone manufacturers in Ukraine, and its armed forces have signed contracts to supply 30 new models of nationally produced drones.
It is still too early to say that Ukraine has an established drone industry, but it is rapidly developing.
What is the solution?
The French company Turgis & Gaillard signed an agreement with the Ukrainian company Antonov to jointly produce a new version of the Aarok MALE drone, but reduced in size and cheaper.
French drone Aarok. Photo: aarok.fr
The French Aarok drone, which was first presented at the Paris Air Show in June 2023, is a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone that has different sensors and weapons depending on the mission. The maximum speed of the drone is 463 km/h. It can fly for 30 hours and does not require prepared infrastructure.
How does it work?
LaTribune reports that the agreement was signed during the visit of French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu to Kyiv on September 28.
Fanny Turgis, president and founder of Turgis & Gaillard, said the drone production "should take off in Ukraine next year."
She added that the Ukrainian and French sides would coordinate at the industrial and operational level to start producing the drone. The companies still need to decide where to assemble the drone and which French and Ukrainian equipment to choose for this UAV.
Turgis also said that Aarok, which will be produced by Antonov, will not be exported. The drone is intended only for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Rubryka reported that French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu visited Kyiv on September 28 to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Defense Minister Rustem Umierov, and Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin to discuss military aid to Ukraine.
Minister Lecornu and a delegation of French defense companies signed about 20 contracts with Ukrainian industrialists during the visit.
