UGV procurement: Tender announced for first time under specifications set by MoD
Drone Industry
The Defence Procurement Agency DOT has announced its first procurement of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in accordance with tactical and technical specifications set by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defence reported this, according to Censor.NET.
What is known
As noted, UGVs are ground-based robotic platforms that can be operated remotely. They help carry out frontline missions without exposing military personnel to unnecessary risk. Ground drones are currently used, in particular, to deliver cargo, evacuate the wounded, and perform combat missions.
Since the beginning of the year, UGVs have already completed more than 100,000 missions.
What types of UGVs will be procured?
The Defence Procurement Agency DOT plans to procure two types of UGVs:
- logistics UGVs — for transporting cargo, delivering essential supplies, and evacuating the wounded;
- strike UGVs — for engaging designated targets.
It is emphasized that the UGVs must be capable of operating over rough terrain, ensuring reliable remote control, and transmitting video and system performance data to the operator.
Who can participate in the tender?
The Ministry of Defence said that manufacturers and suppliers whose products meet the established specifications and requirements are invited to participate in the procurement. One of the key conditions is having at least one codified product in the UGV category.
Deputy Minister of Defence Mstyslav Banik said that the tender would be conducted under a system that has already proven effective. The systems are divided into classes based on their operating range and payload weight. Each class comprises four or five lots. At the same time, one manufacturer will be able to receive no more than half of the order within a single class.
According to him, this approach will allow several manufacturers to participate in supplying the systems and create more opportunities for competition among them.
The procurement will be conducted in a closed environment in compliance with security requirements for defence procurement.
Importance of the tender
This procurement is another step towards expanding competition in the procurement of weapons and military equipment. The Defence Procurement Agency DOT is gradually expanding the range of UGV categories and other weapons procured through competitive procedures.
Banik emphasized that robotic platforms have long been indispensable on the front line, as some missions are fundamentally impossible to perform without them. The Ministry of Defence’s task is therefore to ensure an uninterrupted supply of these systems to the military at an affordable price, in the required quality and quantity, and on time.
"A tender is one of the best tools for achieving this, as it allows us to procure more systems for the same amount of money and minimize the risk of supply disruptions by distributing orders among different manufacturers. We will therefore continue moving in this direction," he added.
