Defence in brief: Ukraine’s air defence supply to triple under new MoU

Ukraine’s supply of air defence missiles and systems is set to triple under a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Diehl Defence on the 9th March, according to a statement released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. 

Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov met with the company during a visit to Germany and a tour of a Diehl production facility. The MoU establishes the groundwork for industrial cooperation with Ukrainian companies and, “envisages a threefold increase in the supply of missiles and air defence systems,” the MoD press release states. 

The exact nature of the MoU was not made clear, however, Oleksii Makeiiev, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany indicated that additional IRIS systems were coming, in a 10th March post on X.com. Ukraine has received at least seven IRIS-T systems and hundreds of missiles from partner stocks and the Diehl production line. The short-range air defence systems have proven valuable in protecting Ukrainian cities and forces from Russian drones and cruise missiles, however, the supply of missiles has not met all of the countries needs and increasing it is seen as a priority. 

Calibre comment

There have been distinct phases to the aid provided to Ukraine. Initially, the focus was on ammunition and systems enabling the Ukrainian forces to engage the Russian forces beyond their original ammunition stocks. It later moved, during 2023, to a greater focus on platforms and training as well as some local joint ventures and support for the newly in-service platforms. From 2024, the efforts to support Ukraine’s domestic industry began to bear fruit with more equipment and ammunition produced domestically, including the Bogdan self-propelled howitzer, which is produced with financial assistance from Denmark. Boosting Ukraine’s defence industry helps the country to fight the war, but also works towards a form of security guarantee, ensuring that Ukraine will be better able to prepare for and resist Russian aggression in the future. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 10th March 2025.