EU to give first grants to Ukrainian firms for interceptor drones and radars – Fedorov
The Brave1 defence tech cluster is launching a new grant programme, EU4UA Defence Tech, with a total fund of €3.3 million.
This is the first EU grant programme aimed at supporting Ukrainian defence innovation, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said on Telegram.
"Protecting the sky from Russian drones is a priority not only for Ukraine, but for the whole of Europe. Thanks to these grants, we will be able to bring to market products capable of significantly strengthening Ukraine’s defence capability and technological autonomy," the deputy prime minister noted.
At the first stage, grants under the programme will be available to developers of technologies that enhance air defence: high-speed interceptors (with speeds above 450 km/h) and radars.
"The maximum grant amount is €150,000, which is twice as much as in a standard Brave1 grant programme. The funding covers technology validation, prototyping and testing," Fedorov explained.
He added that the first stage of the programme starts on 1 December, and applications from Ukrainian companies will be accepted until 14 January 2026.
According to the deputy prime minister, two more stages are expected in 2026, with topics aligned to the current needs of the frontline.
As reported earlier, the Ukrainian miltech company Wild Hornets, which specialises in the development and production of combat drones, has unveiled a new interceptor UAV capable of accelerating to 315 km/h in stable flight. This likely makes it one of the fastest first-person-view (FPV) combat drones.
