Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) has signed a contract through the International Fund for Ukraine for the delivery of counter-uncrewed aerial vehicle (C-UAV) systems to be donated to Ukraine, the company announced on 14 August 2023.
The contract, which is valued at GBP 56 M (EUR 65.3 M), covers the delivery of several CORTEX Typhon systems.
“This contract will provide a significant capability boost for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and will support their ability to protect their people and defend their country against aerial threats,” Eirik Lie, KDA President, was quoted as saying in a company press release.
The CORTEX Typhon is a newly developed C-UAV system comprised of hardware and software components from Kongsberg and Teledyne Flir, including a surveillance system, Kongsberg remote weapon station (RWS) and CORTEX Integrated Combat Solution.
As part of the delivery, the Norwegian government is also donating the Dingo 2 armoured vehicles on which the C-UAV systems will be mounted, Kongsberg RWSs, machine guns and ammunition.
In recent months Russia has stepped its production and use of UAVs, including Russian ZALA Lancet loitering munitions (LMs) and also Iranian Shahed-135 LMs. The latter were initially sold by Iran and shipped to Russia, but in June 2023 White House security spokesman John Kirby expressed the US belief that “Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from inside Russia” by building a manufacturing plant in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone.
The Ukrainian armed forces are therefore very much in need of C-UAV systems to defend against this threat.
The IFU was established by the UK and international partners to identify and procure critical capabilities and deliver them quickly to Ukraine. Norway and the UK are among many nations that have contributed to the fund.
Peter Felstead
