Czech Republic to Increase Production of Engines for Ukrainian Rockets and Drones

Czech PBS GROUP will increase its production capacity of jet engines, which, among other things, are supplied to Ukraine.

According to CZDEFENCE, PBS Group will open a second aviation equipment production facility in the town of Velká Bíteš.

Investments in the new facility amount to hundreds of millions of Czech korunas.

The new facility will be dedicated solely to the production of jet engines.

“This year, we’ve boosted our jet engine production by 220%, responding to the rising global demand,” Pavel Čechal, CEO of PBS GROUP, shared.

Pavel Čechal added that the demand for their engines has increased in the field of unmanned systems and defense technologies.

“These investments in cutting-edge technologies will further strengthen our position as a leading global manufacturer in the aviation and defense industries,” Čechal noted.

The Czech manufacturer of powertrains and equipment for the aerospace industry, PBS GROUP, has been collaborating with Ukrainian defense companies for a long time.

In 2024, Ukraine, together with PBS, completed the development of the AI-PBS-350 jet engine.

The new engine is specially optimized for use in unmanned aerial vehicles and other military developments.

Declared characteristics of the AI-PBS-350:

• Maximum thrust: 3.400 N (765.76 lbf)
• Weight: 51 kg
• Outer diameter: 298 mm
• Length: 706 mm
• Electrical power output: 5.0 kW

The start of mass production at the company’s facilities in Velká Bíteš (Czech Republic) is expected in the first half of 2025. Initially, it will be about dozens of units per year, with a further reaching of the planned volumes of hundreds of units.