{"id":21469,"date":"2026-02-02T19:54:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T17:54:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/?p=21469"},"modified":"2026-02-02T19:55:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T17:55:22","slug":"dorozvidka-45","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/2026\/02\/dorozvidka-45\/","title":{"rendered":"Dorozvidka #45: Fedirko, Strix Air, Belbas, \u201cAchilles\u201d, \u201cPhoenix\u201d, \u201cVelbot\u201d and the DZHANKOI UGV"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The past week was marked by the first publications following the MITS x Azov Corps: Defense Technology Horizons 2026 conference, a programme column by Ihor Fedirko, CEO of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Tech, and new data on Vyriy\u2019s UGV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, our colleagues at Militarnyi released a record number of compelling video interviews. This and more are covered in the new issue of Dorozvidka, where Defender Media curates key publications from other media, blogs, and social platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ihor Fedirko on Ukraine\u2019s defence industry: the state of the market, the biggest threat of 2026 and the only safeguard<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

NV published an op-ed by Ihor Fedirko<\/a>, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry. In a detailed piece, he outlines the situation across key market verticals and stresses that the decisive factor in 2026 will be the pace of adaptation: how quickly solutions move from operational feedback to refined serial production, how they are integrated into air defence, counter-UAV, electronic warfare and reconnaissance systems, how service and repairs are organised, and how testing is structured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fedirko notes that a critical gap between production capacity and the state\u2019s ability to procure still persists \u2014 and in some cases is even widening. This undermines serial production, contract predictability for manufacturers, and the availability of certain categories of equipment in the armed forces. In his view, the only way to mitigate this threat is to open controlled exports of weapons and military equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn projections for 2026, the potential capacity framework stands at around $50\u201355 billion,\u201d the author writes. \u201cThis reflects the scale of the industry\u2019s capabilities, and at the same time serves as a test of the ability of the state and its partners to sustain demand, contracting and line utilisation at a pace consistent with wartime requirements.\u201d Without a managed entry into external markets, Ukraine will continue to have capacity on paper and underutilised workshops, Fedirko argues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strix Air co-founder and CEO Eduard Baiev in a new episode of \u201cWeapons\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In the latest episode of the video project Zbroya, produced jointly with the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry, Militarnyi examines the reasons behind the supply of low-quality FPV drones to the Defence Forces, their refurbishment and modernisation by Strix Air, as well as the company\u2019s development of its own anti-aircraft and fibre-optic drones. The speaker is the company\u2019s co-founder and CEO, Eduard Baiev.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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