Ukraine seeks domestic weapons solutions to bridge air defense gap

Ukraine is working to expand its air defense and long-range strike capabilities to counter intensifying Russian ballistic missile attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that producing U.S.-designed Patriot air defense systems domestically under license could take from twelve months to several years due to regulatory procedures and technical requirements.

To address immediate operational gaps, Ukrainian forces are procuring new domestic technology, including the "Equalizer" precision-guided glide bomb kit developed by DG Industry and the Brave1 innovation cluster. The module converts conventional bombs into guided munitions compatible with Soviet-era and Western aircraft. Concurrently, two Ukrainian companies are developing domestic ballistic missiles to target deep positions, though technical obstacles continue to hinder mass manufacturing.

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