Ukraine has opened a new opportunity for foreign defense companies to test their latest weapons directly on the battlefield, announced the defense incubator Brave1, supported by the Ukrainian government, Euronews reported. The "Test in Ukraine" initiative allows allied countries to provide prototypes of drones, autonomous weapons, maritime unmanned systems, electronic warfare tools, and artificial intelligence products for evaluation in real combat conditions.

In return, Brave1 will prepare detailed reports on the performance of the tested equipment and offer immediate recommendations for improvements and adaptations. Participants in the program will also have the opportunity for joint production with Ukrainian manufacturers working on similar technologies, which will accelerate the introduction of innovations into combat readiness.

“We are ready to support companies from partner countries in developing, testing, and refining technologies that actually work on the battlefield,” stated Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov. “This is an opportunity to gain experience that cannot be simulated in a laboratory.”

Ukraine Actively Joins the EU’s Armament Efforts

The announcement of the "Test in Ukraine" initiative comes amid a series of measures to integrate Ukrainian defense technology startups into the broader framework of European armament efforts. Recently, the Brave1 incubator announced the BraveTechEU partnership, which will allocate up to €100 million among Brave1, the European Defence Fund, and the EU Defence Innovation Programme to finance hackathons, connect with investors, and support scientific research.

The European Union has also launched the €150 billion SAFE loan program, through which member states can fund joint defense projects. At least 65% of the components for the weapons must be produced within the EU or Ukraine. Additionally, a joint force structure for industrial cooperation between the EU and Ukraine has been established to integrate the country into the European "defense technology ecosystem."

Ukraine also signed a €67 million agreement with Denmark, allowing Danish defense companies to develop their projects on Danish territory – the first such agreement of its kind.

Meanwhile, major European defense firms such as Sweden’s SAAB, Norway’s Kongsberg, the French-German KNDS, Germany’s Rheinmetall, and the American Raytheon are expanding their presence on Ukrainian territory, according to a press release from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in June.

Experts, however, note to Euronews Next that Ukraine should be included in "joint planning" with the EU, as it can provide valuable feedback and criticism on conventional weapons, which remain a significant part of its armament acquisition strategies. |BGNES