Ukraine expands domestic arms production amid persistent air defense gaps

Ukraine is working to mitigate severe air defense shortages and counter intensified Russian ballistic missile attacks by ramping up domestic weapons manufacturing. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that two local companies are developing ballistic missiles, though technical hurdles prevent immediate mass production. Additionally, establishing local production of Patriot defense systems under U.S. licenses will require up to several years due to regulatory delays.

To address current vulnerabilities, Ukraine's military has approved the procurement of the domestically developed "Equalizer" glide bomb kit. Created by DG Industry alongside the Brave1 technology cluster, the system converts unguided munitions into precision-guided bombs. The modification allows strikes from greater distances and is compatible with Ukraine's Soviet-era warplanes as well as incoming Western aircraft, including F-16s and Mirage jets.

Sources: NEXTA, NV, Point, The Insider, Українська правда