Ukraine expands domestic arms production to counter ballistic missile threats

Ukraine is working to expand its domestic defense industry to reduce reliance on Western military hardware and address heightened vulnerabilities to Russian ballistic missile strikes. President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that two Ukrainian firms are developing indigenous ballistic missiles, though mass production faces technological barriers. Efforts to manufacture U.S.-designed Patriot air defense systems under license are also stalled by administrative procedures, with deployment expected to take from 12 months to several years.

In the short term, Kyiv is procuring the domestically developed "Equalizer" glide bomb kit, produced by DG Industry and state defense incubator Brave1. The kit converts standard aerial munitions into precision-guided weapons deployable from both Soviet-designed and Western aircraft. Analysts emphasize that expanding local arms manufacturing remains essential as Ukraine faces persistent ballistic attacks against critical infrastructure.

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