On June 17 (local time), according to Ukrinform news agency, two defense enterprises of Ukraine and Germany signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop the Freyja ground air defense system, capable of detecting and intercepting ballistic missiles.
The agreement was signed between the Ukrainian company Fire Point and the German defense technology group Hensoldt on the sidelines of the international defense exhibition Eurosatory taking place in Paris (France).
This document lays the foundation for the integration of proven technologies and components in real combat to build an air defense system capable of dealing with threats from ballistic missiles.
According to the plan, Fire Point will play the role of general contractor of the project, responsible for building the overall idea, producing, testing and supplying FP-7 missiles, launchers and control systems.
Meanwhile, Hensoldt will be in charge of developing, testing and supplying radar systems for Freyja. The German Defense Group will also support the integration of sensors and radar into the common control network to ensure the ability to detect, track and intercept targets effectively.
The parties said that combining Ukraine's actual combat experience with Germany's defense technology capabilities will help accelerate the development of the new system.
The project is being implemented in the context of Ukraine continuously seeking to strengthen its air defense capabilities against missile and unmanned aerial vehicles attacks. In the past, protecting energy, military infrastructure and major cities has become one of Kiev's top priorities.
In parallel with that, Ukraine is also promoting a strategy to expand defense production cooperation with European partners. The goal is to strengthen weapons autonomy and reduce dependence on external supply.
The development of Freyja is seen as part of Ukraine's efforts to build long-term defense industry capacity. The project also reflects the increasingly deep cooperation trend between Kiev and European countries in the field of defense.
Currently, the parties have not announced the completion date of the first prototype or plans to put the Freyja system into service. However, observers believe that this could become one of the notable defense cooperation programs between Ukraine and Europe in the near future.
