Weapons Exhibition In London: Shmyhal Discussed Air Defense Innovations With Leading Defense Companies

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) According to Ukrinform, Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal reported this on Facebook .

According to him,“Special attention was paid to innovative solutions in the field of air defense”.

Thus,“with KNDS Deutschland CEO Ralf Ketzel, we discussed the implementation of joint agreements on supplies, technical support, and joint production of Gepard air defense systems. We focused on the work of the joint venture that KNDS is launching in partnership with a major Ukrainian manufacturer,” Shmyhal noted.

With representatives of the American company Lockheed Martin, producer of HIMARS and ATACMS missiles and F-16 aircraft, they discussed prospects for cooperation on key types of weaponry, as well as the potential for industrial collaboration with Ukrainian companies.

With the delegation of Thales, they discussed the main areas of work of the joint venture, as well as opportunities to expand cooperation in joint production.

“During the meeting with the MBDA delegation, I reviewed the company's latest products. We discussed ways to provide Ukrainian soldiers with missiles, in particular ASRAAM and Storm Shadow, and I had the opportunity, with colleagues, to assess the company's new developments. Together with representatives of BAE Systems, we focused on the further development of cooperation in the repair of armored vehicles, including Abrams tanks and CV-90 IFVs,” the Minister said.

With the Kongsberg delegation, they reviewed prospects for cooperation on the supply of new NASAMS air defense systems and their missiles. In addition, with representatives of Northrop Grumman, Shmyhal discussed prospects for localization and joint production of ammunition of various calibers.

The Defense Minister added that he was pleased to see the stands of Ukrainian manufacturers at the exhibition.“Some of them are already establishing partnerships with British companies and jointly working on creating new products for the Ukrainian army,” Shmyhal emphasized.

He also discussed strengthening Ukraine's aviation capabilities with the delegation of the Swedish company Saab.

“As part of the implementation of the Roadmap for the development of aviation according to NATO standards, Ukraine assigns an important role to cooperation with Sweden,” the Minister noted.

Another important issue is the supply of Saab-produced radars. In particular, they agreed to continue cooperation on strengthening the Defense Forces' capabilities for situational awareness in the airspace. In addition, Shmyhal held a meeting with Rheinmetall AG CEO Armin Papperger.

According to him, effective cooperation exists in several areas, such as the production of ammunition, armored vehicles, and air defense solutions.

“Since our last conversation, we have finalized procedures for launching a new joint production facility. On September 9, land was allocated in a safe region of Ukraine, where a new Rheinmetall plant for the production of shells for the needs of the Defense Forces will be built,” Shmyhal reported.

Other important projects were also discussed, including the development of capabilities for the repair and production of armored vehicles. The Rheinmetall product line has several new models that can strengthen the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Air defense development was also discussed, in particular, how to jointly develop and improve solutions to more effectively combat enemy drones. The Minister summed up, thanking Rheinmetall for the support provided and the development of joint large-scale projects.

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As reported by Ukrinform, in London, Shmyhal took part in the meeting of the E5 countries, the United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, France, and Italy, during which he discussed air defense, joint weapons production, and long-range capabilities with partners.

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