Two new industry associations have joined the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry: the Independent Association of UAV Schools of Ukraine and the Marine Drones Association. Representatives of both associations will also join the Council’s board.
For the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry, this is a consistent expansion of the shared defense industry ecosystem. From the outset, the Council has been built as an environment that unites not individual companies, but entire professional communities, associations, investment initiatives, educational platforms, and other market participants that together shape the capacity of Ukraine’s defense tech sector.
As of March 2026, the ecosystem of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry brings together more than 350 participants across nine communities:
- 7 sectoral associations representing more than 300 Ukrainian weapons manufacturers
- an investment club including 20 investment and venture funds
- an association of UAV schools, uniting 28 participants
“Marine drones in Ukraine have grown into a separate branch of the defense industry with its own technological specifics, military demand, and international interest. At the same time, training drone operators and forming unified training standards have long become an important part of the defense ecosystem. It is extremely important for the Armament Council that the Marine Drones Association and the Independent Association of UAV Schools of Ukraine are joining our joint work, as we are building an environment that unites companies, sectoral associations, investment communities, and educational platforms around the defense industry. A strong industry requires coordination, investment, training of specialists, and joint representation of market interests,” said the CEO of the Armament Council, Ihor Fedirko.
About the associations joining the Council
The Marine Drones Association brings together manufacturers of unmanned maritime systems, military stakeholders, and international partners to develop Ukraine’s marine drone industry. The community currently includes 20 members. Its areas of work include cooperation with the military and the state, international representation, analytical support, and the development of a training school for operators of unmanned maritime systems.
“Unmanned maritime systems have already become an important standalone sector of Ukraine’s defense industry. Participation in the Armament Council will help strengthen coordination with manufacturers, the state, and international partners, and jointly develop a market that is strategically important for Ukraine,” said Denys Kanin, Director of the Marine Drones Association.
The Independent Association of UAV Schools of Ukraine is the largest organization in the field of training operators of unmanned aerial vehicles and ground robotic systems. The association works on standardizing training programs, forming unified training approaches, and coordinating among specialized schools. Its members have already trained more than 85,000 representatives of Ukraine’s security and defense forces. The association includes 28 schools across more than 10 regions of Ukraine.
“Joining the Ukrainian Armament Council allows us to more strongly integrate operator training into the overall logic of defense ecosystem development. High-quality training, program standardization, and coordination between schools and manufacturers directly affect the effectiveness of unmanned systems,” said Artem Platonenko, Executive Director of the Independent Association of UAV Schools of Ukraine.
