Battle-tested on Ukrainian front: Portugal buys Tekever AR5 drones for its fleet
Drone Industry
The Portuguese Air Force will enhance maritime surveillance with AR5 drones manufactured by Tekever.
According to a Euronews report cited by Censor.NET, the company is a major manufacturer of unmanned systems and supplies the same drones to Ukraine.
Military wings over the sea
The new agreement also provides for the training of military operators and the supply of a ground control station and the ATLAS systems platform.
The AR5 drone has a wingspan of almost eight metres and weighs about 200 kilograms. It is designed for maritime missions, surveillance, monitoring of the exclusive economic zone and defence. The drones will enable the military to operate with greater autonomy during prolonged missions. The Defence Forces of Ukraine already use such drones for reconnaissance on the front.
Training for Portuguese military personnel will begin in September, followed by a second stage in October aimed at achieving full operational capability. The company has not disclosed the value of the agreement, but the Portuguese Ministry of Defence’s budget for such a system amounts to just over EUR 7.79 million.
Ukrainian experience in international contracts
The Ukrainian military is actively employing cutting-edge technologies under combat conditions, influencing the decisions of other countries.
In April, the Lithuanian government approved the purchase of an initial batch of US-made Merops AS-3 Surveyor interceptor drones tested in Ukraine.
In addition, in March, the US Army deployed 10,000 Merops drones to the Middle East following their effective use on the Ukrainian front.
