The Czech Republic and Ukraine will jointly develop the AI-PBS-350 engine

Defense industries of the Czech Republic and Ukraine will develop a new AI-PBS-350 engine.

The Czech company PBS (Prvni brnenska strojirna Velka Bites) reported that they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic cooperation with the Ukrainian enterprise Ivchenko-Progress.

Milan Macholán, PBS CEO and Chairman of the Board, and Ihor Kravchenko, his colleague from Ivchenko-Progress, signed the MoU.

The agreement aims to establish a commercial, development, and production cooperation framework for the new AI-PBS-350 engine.

“The agreement is aimed at creating a basis for commercial development and cooperation in the production of a new AI-PBS-350 turbojet engine, which will become a joint product of PBS and Ivchenko-Progress,” PBS representatives shared.

The AI-PBS-350 engine is designed for use with cruise missiles and UAV systems.

The memorandum also includes an expanded cooperation agreement to identify new joint commercial and development projects in the aerospace, defense, and energy industries.

Ihor Kravchenko noted that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine greatly affected all Ukrainian companies, but the Ivchenko-Progress enterprise was able to continue its work.

“We are opening a new era of cooperation on the joint production of engines and their implementation,” Ihor Kravchenko said.

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 Ukrainian Ivchenko-Progress SE, despite the Russian shelling of enterprises in Ukraine, continues to operate and present its products at exhibitions.

In 2022, Ivchenko-Progress presented its products at SAHA EXPO.