Ukraine can produce up to 8 million drones annually, defense industry output will reach $50 billion by 2026

Ukraine has the potential to produce between 7 to 8 million drones annually, provided there is adequate funding for the defense industry. This was stated by the Executive Director of the Ukrainian Arms Manufacturers Association, Ihor Fedirko, who emphasized the possibility of quickly achieving such production scales.

This is reported by AgroReview

Production capacities and dependence on imports

According to Ihor Fedirko, the main challenge for the Ukrainian defense industry remains significant dependence on imported components, especially from China. He called for active development of domestic technologies, which would reduce this dependence and strengthen national security. At the same time, Ukraine is already capable of producing fully “Ukrainian” drones, and the price of domestic components is gradually decreasing.

“With sufficient funding for the Ukrainian defense industry, the country could produce 7 million drones per year, and with proper planning, this figure could be raised to over 8 million units,” noted Ihor Fedirko.

Forecasts for production and export volumes

Ihor Fedirko also estimated that by 2025, the volume of arms production in Ukraine will reach approximately $35 billion, and by 2026, this figure could rise to $50 billion. He added that an official announcement regarding the export of Ukrainian weapons is expected within the next month, and the first supply contracts could be concluded as early as mid-next year.

The expert emphasized that after the end of the full-scale war, domestic companies will only be able to maintain their position in the international market by uniting and offering comprehensive solutions in the field of defense technologies.