OCTOPUS interceptor drones to be used in combat in Ukraine
Photo: Rustem Umerov (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Secretary of the NSDC, Rustem Umerov, said production of OCTOPUS interceptor drones will take place in the United Kingdom, while their combat deployment will be in Ukraine, according to his appearance on the program My-Ukraine.
He confirmed that Britain will produce an initial test batch of 1,000 OCTOPUS interceptor drones for Ukraine, with production to be scaled up afterwards.
"Our software and our hardware. The United Kingdom worked on this project with us, and now we will produce these first batches using their state facilities. After manufacture and testing, the drones will be deployed in combat in Ukraine," the NSDC secretary said.
Umerov added that this is the first Ukrainian combat drone to be produced at scale in a NATO country.
About OCTOPUS drones
In September, the UK government announced an agreement with Ukraine to co-develop and manufacture advanced military equipment, including technology transfers that will create jobs in Britain and strengthen both countries’ security. The first project under the deal is the OCTOPUS interceptor drone; mass production is planned in the UK, with output projected to reach thousands of units per month for delivery to Ukraine.
Yesterday, October 24, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and showed him the OCTOPUS drone; the president said an agreement on the first production batch has been reached.
