"Antonov" is expanding production of drones, - Reuters
Antonov is diversifying its core business of manufacturing cargo aircraft and expanding the production of drones.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by Reuters.
According to the publication, this was evidenced by a presentation by Ukroboronprom to officials in Washington in June.
"Antonov's new drone center was opened "to expand the production capabilities of unmanned systems and provide support to private manufacturers of unmanned systems in terms of expertise and services", according to a presentation by Ukroboronprom.
Antonov did not respond to requests for comment on the center and its plans to expand into the drone sector. A representative of Ukroboronprom declined to comment, citing security concerns.
"The production of unmanned aerial vehicles could now support Soviet-era aerospace companies such as Antonov, which lost a major client in Russia and has been hit hard by Russian attacks," Reuters writes.
"Antonov used to design and manufacture drones, including the Gorlytsia model, but its main focus was on cargo aircraft.
Production of cargo planes will continue, but the new drone center could better meet Ukraine's military needs and give Antonov engineers more work, a person with knowledge of Antonov's plans told the publication.
Antonov's experience in manufacturing cargo aircraft can also be applied to long-range drones, the source added.
"Antonov's new center offers services such as experimental aerodynamic research, the creation of fully functional simulators for training unmanned aircraft operators, and the development of component standards, according to a presentation listing 26 functions," the publication said.
According to journalists, the presentation also coincided with the restructuring of Ukroboronprom, aimed at attracting more customers and strengthening Ukraine's role in the international defense sector.
"Ukraine has relied heavily on foreign UAVs since Russia launched its invasion on 24 February 2022, but it is now capable of producing a significant number of different types of drones. ... According to recent statements by senior officials, there are around 200 drone manufacturers in Ukraine, and its armed forces have signed contracts for 30 new domestically produced drone models. However, most of them are start-ups founded after the invasion, operating on a small scale and often lacking the production capacity and industry support needed to become significant players," the newspaper writes.
The presentation also said that Ukroboronprom intends to unload about 50% of its assets, which it called "inefficiently used and not related to production".
