Ukraine to test Estonian-made anti-drone missiles

Ukraine will receive air defense missiles from the Estonian defense company Frankenburg Technologies for testing, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported on 8 November.

The development comes as Ukraine continues to face persistent Russian drone and missile attacks. If testing succeeds, the new Estonian missiles could join Ukraine’s wide array of air defenses against Russian aerial threats.

According to Deputy Defense Minister Brigadier General Anatolii Klochko, the first samples of these missiles will arrive by the end of 2024. The missiles are designed primarily to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and can shoot down targets at altitudes up to 2 kilometers.

“Our goal is to help Ukraine win this war. To do this, we offer a sample of a new low-cost missile to shoot down aerial targets, primarily unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Frankenburg Technologies CEO Kusti Salm.

Salm added that if the tests are successful and Ukraine approves further use, the production of these missiles could be established in Ukraine. The two sides have already agreed that the next step will be to finalize the financing for missile production.

Klochko emphasized the importance of Ukraine having the widest possible arsenal of missile weapons to counter Russian aggression. He called on foreign weapons manufacturers to supply their systems to Ukraine and test them in combat conditions.

“We are open to cooperation and ready to use various models of modern weapons,” the deputy minister said.

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