Ukraine and Greece agree on joint production of naval drones

Ukraine and Greece have agreed to jointly produce uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) using technologies from Ukrainian and Greek companies. The decision was taken at a meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Source: Kathimerini, a Greek daily newspaper

Details: Under the project, some systems will go to Ukraine's defence forces, while the rest will join Greece's military. A production line will be set up at a Greek shipyard, where local companies will produce electronics, optical systems, sensors and, when required, explosive charges. The platforms will be upgraded versions of Ukrainian combat-tested models.

If the project is successfully implemented, Athens and Kyiv will consider cooperation on uncrewed underwater systems.

Funding for the programme will be provided under Greece's long-term defence procurement plan for 2025-2036. The two sides also aim to secure funding under the EU's SAFE programme, which offers concessional loans for joint arms production.

In the near future, a delegation from the Greek Armed Forces and a Greek shipbuilding company will visit Ukraine to agree upon further details.

The agreement is the outcome of months of negotiations between the two governments. In a joint statement, Mitsotakis and Zelenskyy highlighted the deepening of cooperation on maritime security, spanning the production of uncrewed surface drones, joint exercises and the sharing of intelligence on threats at sea.

Ukraine currently operates several types of naval drones, including Magura, Mamai, Sea Baby and Katran. These systems are deployed in groups of six to eight, combining reconnaissance, strike and armed drones. They have been used in attacks on Russian warships and infrastructure, particularly the frigate Admiral Makarov and the Kerch Bridge.

It is also highlighted separately that Ukrainian defence technologies are developing at a remarkable speed and that combat tactics are being updated almost weekly to respond to the rapid evolution of Russian aerial drones and other uncrewed systems.

Background: The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) presented earlier a new generation of Sea Baby maritime unmanned platforms that have undergone tests in successful Black Sea missions and can travel more than 1,500 km.

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