A Lithuanian drone manufacturer has opened a facility in Ukraine

The Lithuanian drone manufacturer Unmanned Defense Systems is launching operations in Ukraine through the Ukrainian-Lithuanian joint venture UDS Ukraine.

UDS develops integrated unmanned solutions for reconnaissance, precision strikes, and command and control.

UDS’s integrated unmanned solutions combine:

• FORECASTER — an UAV platform for reconnaissance, surveillance, detection, and target identification;
• AVENGER 5 — a long-range strike UAV for precision strikes;
• HAULER — a multi-purpose unmanned helicopter with a modular payload;
• SWARM C2 — a software platform for controlling and coordinating a group of unmanned systems.

Together, they form an open and interoperable ecosystem that enables integration with third-party platforms and combat management systems.

A distributed production model allows the company to maintain control over key technologies and manufacturing processes, quickly scale production volumes to meet customer needs, and contribute to the development of the defense industries in the countries where UDS operates.

“With a permanent presence in Ukraine, we want to bring our technologies, engineering expertise, and systematic approach closer to the people who need them,” said UDS co-founder and CEO Vytautas Bužas.

The establishment of UDS Ukraine also signals deepening cooperation between Lithuania and Ukraine in the fields of defense and technology.

UDS Ukraine in Ukraine

The establishment of UDS Ukraine is part of the company’s long-term commitment to integrating into the Ukrainian defense technology ecosystem, rather than limiting itself to the role of an external supplier.

“We don’t want to be a foreign company that simply sells its systems in Ukraine. We are building UDS Ukraine as a Ukrainian company,” said Stepan Veselovsky, CEO and co-owner of UDS Ukraine.

The Ukrainian team will work directly with the Armed Forces and partners in the defense sector, oversee the deployment of systems in military units, train operators, and maintain ongoing cooperation with military units.

Germany’s Rheinmetall has tested an unmanned bridge-laying system.

Earlier, the German defense conglomerate Rheinmetall unveiled the new-generation GMF 140 frigate, designed for the navies of NATO countries and their allies. The ship, which is 140 meters long and has a displacement of over 6,000 metric tons, is equipped with modern air defense, missile defense, and anti-submarine warfare systems, as well as the capability to launch 64 missiles from vertical launch systems.

Rheinmetall has successfully tested the launch of FV-014 loitering munitions from a container-based launcher mounted on a moving truck. The company has already released a video of the tests.