Is cutting all imports realistic? What defense manufacturers think
Photo: Ukrainian drone operator (Getty Images)
Ukraine should not fully abandon imports of components for weapons production, as it is economically unjustified, according to the RBC-Ukraine article.
According to defense sector representatives, despite strong rhetoric, Ukraine should not produce everything domestically, as it is economically inefficient and technologically impossible in the short term. However, there are critical segments that should be localized or kept under control.
In particular, this refers to elements that determine combat effectiveness — sensors, communications, navigation systems, as well as components that affect resistance to electronic warfare and key nodes in the supply chain.
At the same time, non-critical components can and should be sourced globally — where it is faster and cheaper.
"Ukraine must not simply assemble drones or systems, but control their critical technological foundation. Because in war, what matters is not the number of components, but whether you can get them tomorrow," said Borys Budeianskyi, director of the technology company BlueBird Tech.
NAUDI adds that the state should also introduce measures to encourage the use of Ukrainian component base. And this is not only about pricing criteria.
For example, European countries set very strict requirements, and in some cases they clearly define not only the origin of individual components and assemblies but even the materials from which they are made.
According to many market players, the optimal model for the defense industry is a combination of global supply chains with maximum localization of critical technologies.
The main goal is to ensure uninterrupted production and technological independence in the most important areas.
Today, Ukraine is one of the largest markets for defense components due to the record scale of final defense production. Therefore, the future of the domestic components market lies in scaling production combined with competitive pricing and customization for each specific customer.
Weapons production in Ukraine
As a reminder, Ukraine's defense sector is actively expanding international cooperation. In particular, Ukraine and Europe are launching joint drone production abroad.
The projects are being developed in cooperation with Norway, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany, and other countries under a model where the Ukrainian side shares combat experience and technology, while European partners provide financing and production capacity.
In addition, Ukraine is increasing production rates of its own missile systems. It has been reported that the private defense sector already produces three Flamingo missiles per day, and output is expected to grow sharply after enterprises fully transition to domestically developed engines.
It should also be noted that Ukrainian weapons manufacturers are increasing localization of production, although they still depend on imported components, some of which have become scarce.
