Additional Coverage:
- Ukraine to give combat units $60M a month to procure drones directly as it seeks to reduce reliance on centralized acquisition (newsbreak.com)
The Ukrainian defense ministry is boosting its monthly drone budget by $60 million. This money will go directly to combat units, allowing them to purchase the drones they need most.
This move builds on a similar initiative from December, which saw roughly $50 million allocated for drone purchases. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated this new increase aims to create a more flexible system for equipping the military.
Umerov emphasized that commanders will have the authority to buy drones based on their specific needs, bypassing bureaucratic hurdles. This decentralized approach contrasts with the centralized procurement efforts led by the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA).
The DPA has already spent around $717 million on drones this year, signing contracts for over 350,000 units. Most of these drones are Ukrainian-made, highlighting the country’s growing domestic production capabilities.
The war in Ukraine has spurred significant drone innovation, with uncrewed systems playing a crucial role in combat operations. Drones are used for various purposes, from attacking enemy targets to reconnaissance and medical evacuations.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has set ambitious drone production targets for Ukraine, aiming for record numbers this year. Millions of drones have already been supplied to the armed forces in 2024, and the country believes it has the capacity to manufacture up to 4 million annually.