Western arms makers are lining up to test their weapons on Ukraine's battlefields
· Business Insider
Danylo Dubchak/Frontliner/Getty Images
- Ukraine launched a program last year to host companies that want to test their defense technology.
- Hundreds of companies have expressed interest, and the number is rising, a defense executive said.
- Western firms are gaining access to the war. But the struggle is adapting rapidly to its demands.
KYIV, Ukraine — A growing number of Western defense companies are lining up to test their technology in Ukraine, where drones, robots, and electronic warfare systems are being rewritten by combat almost as quickly as they are built.
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Through the state-backed "Test in Ukraine" program, which began last summer, hundreds of international companies have applied to bring defense products into the country, test them in realistic combat conditions, and receive feedback from Ukrainian troops.
Dozens are testing their systems in Ukraine right now, including on the battlefield, Andrii Hrytseniuk, the CEO of the Ukrainian innovation platform Brave1, told Business Insider.
And "the number of companies is increasing," he said, adding that interest ranges from major defense firms to small startups.
Ukraine has become a major testing ground for drone warfare and has developed cutting-edge expertise in robotics and autonomous systems since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, effectively turning battlefield necessity into a fast-moving defense industry that Western militaries are now studying closely.
"This is the No. 1 country in the world for drone usage," Hrytseniuk said.
'From what doesn't work to what does'
The "Test in Ukraine" program began in July 2025 and is open to companies that make drones, counter-drone weapons, naval drones, uncrewed ground robots, and other defense technologies, including artificial intelligence and electronic warfare systems.
Hundreds of international companies have applied to participate in the "Test in Ukraine" program.Brave1
Foreign defense companies that secure a permit can have their technologies evaluated at a proving ground in near-combat conditions, either directly or by allowing Ukraine to run the testing. Brave1 then connects them with soldiers who can use their battlefield experience to recommend changes. Some companies also receive data and feedback from front-line use.
The process gives companies the chance to say that their products have been tested — and, in some cases, combat-proven — in Ukraine, Hrytseniuk said.
Occam Industries, a British startup developing AI software for drones, came to Ukraine with European-made systems. The software worked in early tests, but the equipment carrying it was not well-suited for the front line, a company representative said.
Brave1 connected Occam with Ukrainian manufacturers building for combat. Its software is now paired with Ukrainian-made drones and headed to the battlefield.
Occam said that through the testing with Brave1, it was able to "quickly move from what doesn't work to what does."
Not moving fast enough
The challenge for many Western defense companies is not just gaining access to modern warfare, but also keeping pace with the rapid technological evolution that comes with it.
Oleksii Vyskub, Ukraine's first deputy defense minister, told Business Insider that while more Western firms are looking to test their products in Ukraine, many are still not built for speed.
Ukrainian drones, he said through a translator, are often updated every three months before being sent back into combat. Many Western companies operate on slower development cycles, making changes only after extensive testing and review.
British startup Occam tests its AI drone solution in Ukraine.Brave1
Without specifying, Vyskub said he could think of only one Western company ready to "work in Ukrainian realities" and match its development tempo. "With the majority of the companies, it takes a lot of time for them to develop a drone," he said.
Western defense companies aren't driven by the same wartime urgency that Ukraine is. Some companies are testing in Ukraine but spending many months refining their products, risking obsolescence as the battlefield continues to change.
Western companies, Vyskub said, should have full-time representatives in Ukraine if they want to understand what soldiers need and how quickly those needs shift.
"Test in Ukraine" is just one example of how Kyiv has anchored itself as a leader in battlefield innovation, particularly in drone-related technology, since the war began, and demand for its expertise and experience is spreading.
For instance, Ukrainian interceptor drones developed in response to worsening Russian air attacks have seen surging global interest in response to Russian activities in Europe and the Iran war, which saw Tehran launch waves of drones across the Middle East.
Ukraine, this spring, has signed drone and security deals with NATO and Middle Eastern countries, underscoring how its defense technology has become a must-have for countries trying to adapt to fast-changing drone warfare.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address last month that Kyiv "is not just keeping up with the change" but is "among the leaders in the development of security technologies."
"Our Ukrainian security experience and our military expertise," he said, "are now the most sought-after products for dozens of countries worldwide."
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