French defense company Thales and Ukroboronprom will establish a joint venture in Ukraine.

This was announced by Herman Smetanin, Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine.

The newly created company will focus on developing innovative technologies in fields such as air defense systems, radar systems, electronic warfare, as well as tactical communications and optoelectronic systems.

In addition to the joint venture, Thales has a long history of cooperation with the Ukrainian defense industry and provides support for its products within the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

The multinational company Thales has many years of experience in the development of radar stations that are also in service in Ukraine, including the Ground Master 200 model, which was donated by France to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense.

In addition, the company specializes in the production of optical sights and thermal imagers used in air defense systems, tank fire control systems and other armored vehicles.

In addition to the main areas of the French subsidiary, Thales Group companies are engaged in the production of missile weapons, defense systems, and the development of air defense systems, etc.

For example, the Belgian branch of Thales Belgium signed a memorandum with Ukraine to organize joint production of 70 mm missiles with a homing head.

As it later became known, the missiles will be equipped with a specially designed warhead to effectively counter drones. They will be mounted on 70 mm FZ-275 LGR missiles, and the warhead itself will be codenamed FZ-123.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Ukraine and Poland would cooperate in the production of ammunition, maintenance of armored vehicles and artillery, as well as strengthening air defense.

This will take place within the framework of a memorandum on expanding the existing industrial cooperation between the Polish arms group PGZ (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa) and the Ukroboronprom Joint Stock Company.

Since April 2023, it has been known that Ukraine and Poland had been cooperating in the production of 125 mm tank ammunition. It was then that one of the Ukrainian defense companies signed a corresponding agreement with the Polish Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa.