Announcement
Airbus Defence and Space has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Brave1, the Ukrainian government‑led defence‑technology coordinator. The MoU represents Brave1’s first strategic industrial partnership with a Western company.
Scope of Collaboration
The agreement establishes joint task forces that will work on technological projects spanning the entire development cycle—from initial scientific research to the modernization of active equipment. Airbus Defence and Space’s technologies will be integrated into Brave1’s “Test in Ukraine” framework, enabling frontline testing and evaluation with operational performance data fed back into the development process.
Platform and Ecosystem
Brave1 operates as a joint innovation platform that connects Ukraine’s ministries, military, and private technology sector to accelerate battlefield technologies from concept to deployment.
Additional Partnerships
Airbus will also serve as a partner of the Defence Tech Valley summit in Lviv, further embedding its presence in Ukraine’s defence ecosystem.
Statements from Leaders
Iryna Zabolotna, Chief Operating Officer of Brave1, said the organisation is celebrating three years of building Ukraine’s defence‑tech ecosystem and is expanding from launching startups to forging global industrial alliances under the new “Brave Prime” initiative. She emphasized that research and development cycles in Ukraine are measured in days, and that partnering with a global leader like Airbus combines decades of aerospace expertise with Ukraine’s agile, combat‑tested R&D approach to create faster, more resilient defence solutions for European security.
Jo Mueller, a member of the Executive Committee of Airbus Defence and Space, affirmed the company’s commitment to supporting partners with its defence‑aerospace experience while also gaining insights from Ukrainian innovators.
Publication Details
The partnership was reported by Reuters on 1 July 2026 at 08:36 pm, and the article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.