The 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) took place over the past weekend, Feb. 13 to Feb. 15, with nearly 50 national leaders in attendance, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, while Ukrainian defense industry manufacturers and their counterparts from other countries plied their wares, established joint ventures, and drew up agreements.
Among the announcements at the MSC, were new deals in German joint production with Ukrainian defense manufacturers. Three leaders of the defense market, Airlogic, Tencore and TAF Industries, signed deals with German partners, while the Ukrainian president was again negotiating the supply of air defenses.
As a part of the shift toward joint production, Ukrainian manufacturers are now launching joint manufacturing lines for AI-driven UAVs and autonomous ground robots in Germany. President Volodymyr Zelensky’s marathon of meetings focused on the “number one” priority: securing advanced air defenses to shield the nation from ballistic missile threats.
Kyiv Post consolidated all major agreements signed in Munich relating defense manufacturing, especially joint ventures of Ukraine’s manufacturers, technological cooperation and regional security.
Joint Ventures in Defense Industry and UAVs
“Build with Ukraine” framework placed a significant focus on the deals. This initiative aims to integrate Ukraine’s defense complex into the European ecosystem and attract investment through joint ventures. Instead of just procuring finished products, the focus is on developing national production using combat-proven technologies.
Ukraine’s largest Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) TAF Industries, and German drone pioneer Wingcopter signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the intent to establish a joint venture. TAF Industries will provide licensed designs for reconnaissance UAVs, while Wingcopter will provide industrial infrastructure in Germany for rapid scaling. The partners plan to jointly develop and localize future UAV platforms for the European and NATO markets.
Ukrainian manufacturer of robotic ground platforms Tencore LLC and German developer of innovative solutions for autonomous logistics processes Fernride agreed to launch joint production. According to Tencore LLC, the plant will work on the production of the Termit UGV ground robotic platform and develop joint solutions in the fields of АІ and autonomy.
Auterion, a global leader in autonomous operating systems for drones, and Airlogix, a Ukrainian defense technology company, announced the launch of a joint venture to produce AI-powered UAVs for Ukraine and its partners. According to the release, Ukraine has ordered thousands of German-made systems from the joint enterprise and has committed to establishing a long-term partnership with the German Federal Ministry of Defense to supply thousands of autonomous strike systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which is one of the largest European commitments to drone production for Ukraine to date.
The state-owned manufacturer of weapons and military equipment JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry and Swedish aviation and defense company Saab signed a Memorandum of Understanding, said German Smetanin, CEO of Ukrainian Defense Industry JSC. The document formalizes agreements on cooperation in the field of aviation and radar surveillance. Saab has aviation, naval, and land divisions.
Cyber Security
A five-year Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Swedish National Cyber Security Center and Ukraine’s State Service of Special Communications. Sweden will provide training and methodical support, while Ukraine will share its experience in countering cyberattacks.
The foreign ministers of Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine signed a joint declaration on strengthening resilience in the energy and cybersecurity sectors, including the creation of a “Triple Cyber Alliance” to provide joint security services. According to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agreement gives priority to European funding for strategic projects to develop road, rail, and energy connections to support regional growth and counter Russian aggression. In addition, the parties committed to continuing dialogue on education in the native language for Romanian-speaking communities in Ukraine.
Strategic Partnerships
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ukraine. According to the governor’s press office, California provides Ukraine with support in the form of the National Guard, deployed field hospitals, and commitment to rebuilding the country.
Norway and Germany signed a defense agreement known as the “Hansa Arrangement”. It covers five primary areas:
- Space-based surveillance, targeting, and communications.
- Maritime security and joint maritime operations in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.
- Land warfare with the use of combined arms.
- Rapid reinforcement.
- Defense industry cooperation. It was noted that last year Norway was the second-largest importer of defense materiel after Ukraine.
European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius signed an agreement with Canada under the Security and Assistance for Europe (SAFE) instrument to boost defense cooperation and economic ties.