Kyiv and Washington to jointly produce air defense systems in Ukraine already in 2023
Ukraine and the United States will begin to jointly produce air defense systems, and the first results will be felt by the end of this year, the Ministry of Strategic Industries Alexander Kamyshin told news outlet NV.
He noted that Kyiv and Washington agreed on joint production on Ukrainian territory during the recent visit of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the United States.
"During our visit to the USA, we received not only another assurance of continued financial and military support, but also readiness to work on the joint production of air defense systems. We have already started work on this," Kamyshin said.
The first results of such joint production will be visible by the end of 2023. Kamyshin announced "other complex systemic things" for the coming years.
Kamyshin did not answer a clarifying question about the production of other types of equipment or weapons. NV, referring to its own sources in Ukrainian defense companies, writes that there will also be joint production of projectiles, but industrial facilities will be located in a third country neighboring Ukraine.
Another similar project is being implemented regarding spare parts for military helicopters, the media writes.
Speaking on the air of the national news telethon, the Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat, when asked about the production of air defense systems in cooperation with the United States, said that "it is unlikely that anyone will announce what exactly will be created."
"We can rely on the information that was available earlier – long before the full-scale invasion, there was a prospect of creating an anti-aircraft missile system, as proposed by the Pivdenne Design Bureau. Also, the Luch Design Bureau announced that it could create an anti-aircraft missile system based on the Neptune system. But this issue is long-term and needed financing," Ihnat said.
He added that it is possible that these developments, and perhaps others, will become the basis for joint production with the United States. The spokesman also did not rule out that the old air defense systems already available in Ukraine will be adapted to American types of missiles.
On September 27, PM Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine's air defenses will be strengthened by the winter, and for the heating season, the country is preparing such defense projects "that no one in the world has done so far."
On September 30, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that work is underway to produce air defense systems in Ukraine.