Boeing and Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services firm, Antonov Company, have signed a preliminary agreement to potentially collaborate on unmanned systems to support Ukraine’s defense industry.
The broad outlines of the agreement were revealed on Monday at the Farnborough Airshow in southern England.
It identifies training, logistics support, and maintenance of drones like Boeing’s ScanEagle as potential areas of cooperation. It will also enable Antonov to offer engineering support to Boeing, according to the U.S. aerospace company’s press release.
Boeing’s defense CEO Ted Colbert said: “We’re pleased to continue working with the Antonov Company to support Ukraine development and economic growth.
“This agreement demonstrates our ongoing efforts to find more opportunities to work with Ukrainian industry, which was underscored by our signing of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Compact earlier this year.”
It identifies training, logistics support, and maintenance of drones like Boeing’s ScanEagle as potential areas of cooperation. It will also enable Antonov to offer engineering support to Boeing, according to the U.S. aerospace company’s press release.
Boeing’s defense CEO Ted Colbert said: “We’re pleased to continue working with the Antonov Company to support Ukraine development and economic growth.
“This agreement demonstrates our ongoing efforts to find more opportunities to work with Ukrainian industry, which was underscored by our signing of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Compact earlier this year.”
Antonov, once renowned for producing the world’s largest cargo plane, the An-225 Mriya, which was destroyed early in the Ukraine war, has faced challenges due to Russian attacks on its facilities.
The attacks further hindered its cargo plane production capabilities, leading the company to plan an expansion into drone manufacturing, Reuters reported last year.
Antonov CEO Ievhen Gavrylov said that the agreement could aid in the advancement of Ukraine’s defense sector, adding that the company is “extremely excited” to partner with Boeing.
“This agreement brings a whole new level of opportunity to implement the latest and most effective solutions — in addition to the possibility of future projects with Boeing in the aerospace and defense industry,” he said.
Ukraine announced on Monday that it had reached an agreement in principle with a group of creditors to restructure $20 billion in international bonds, moving the country closer to a historic debt reorganization. The move allows Ukraine to preserve budget stability and maintain the necessary cash resources to continue funding its defense efforts.
The attacks further hindered its cargo plane production capabilities, leading the company to plan an expansion into drone manufacturing, Reuters reported last year.
Antonov CEO Ievhen Gavrylov said that the agreement could aid in the advancement of Ukraine’s defense sector, adding that the company is “extremely excited” to partner with Boeing.
“This agreement brings a whole new level of opportunity to implement the latest and most effective solutions — in addition to the possibility of future projects with Boeing in the aerospace and defense industry,” he said.
Debt restructured
Ukraine announced on Monday that it had reached an agreement in principle with a group of creditors to restructure $20 billion in international bonds, moving the country closer to a historic debt reorganization. The move allows Ukraine to preserve budget stability and maintain the necessary cash resources to continue funding its defense efforts.
