French Defense minister announces joint drone production in Ukraine
A French car manufacturer, in cooperation with a French small or medium-sized defense enterprise (SME), will launch drone production in Ukraine, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu announced during a broadcast on LCI, as reported by Le Monde.
"We're starting an entirely new partnership, where a major French car manufacturer – I won't name it, as it's up to the company to make the announcement – will team up with a French defense SME to equip production lines in Ukraine, enabling drone manufacturing," Lecornu said.
According to him, the drones will be produced for the Ukrainian Armed Forces but could also be used by the French military. "We, too, will benefit – our own armed forces will be able to conduct tactical and operational training that reflects the realities of the conflict in Ukraine," he added.
The minister emphasized that Ukrainians have extensive experience with drones: "Ukrainians are ahead of us in terms of conceptualizing drones and especially in developing the surrounding doctrine."
As reported, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has discussed the involvement of French companies in drone production for Ukraine's Armed Forces with Minister Lecornu.
