A French car manufacturer, in partnership with a defense company, is set to begin joint drone production in Ukraine. The drones will be supplied not only to the Ukrainian Armed Forces but also to the French military.
“We’re about to launch a truly unprecedented partnership, where a major French car manufacturer – whose name I won’t disclose, as they will make the announcement themselves – will join forces with a French defense plant to equip production lines in Ukraine for drone manufacturing,” the minister stated.
The French Minister of Defense did not specify which types of drones will be produced but noted that the French military will also receive them to maintain a level of readiness aligned with modern combat conditions. In addition, Ukrainian forces will share their experience with the combat use of drones with their French counterparts.
According to Sébastien Lecornu, the workforce at the Ukrainian production facility will consist of Ukrainian personnel. He explained that Ukrainians have a higher level of expertise in drone development and in shaping relevant combat doctrines.
“We won’t be sending French personnel to work in Ukraine. There’s no need – Ukrainians have an exceptional ability not only to develop drones but also to shape a new military doctrine for their use,” Lecornu emphasized.
Ukraine is actively expanding its drone program. By 2025, the country plans to deploy over 4.5 million unmanned systems. According to the General Staff, drones are already responsible for more than 70% of destroyed enemy equipment on the front lines.
In contrast, the French military is still catching up in this area. It currently has only a few thousand drones in service, though the demand for tactical UAVs continues to grow.
Recently, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov proposed that France establish joint arms production to support Ukraine’s Defense Forces. He discussed the initiative with his French counterpart during a meeting in Brussels.
The topic of joint weapons manufacturing also came up at the latest Ramstein-format meeting. According to Umerov, some initial steps have already been taken by international partners.
Source: lemonde
