Tekever to localise production of UAV parts in Ukraine

Image of Ukraine's 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade ‘Black Forest' using Tekever's AR3 UAS. (Tekever)

Portuguese defence and security technologies company Tekever will be localising production of parts for its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Ukraine, a representative of the company confirmed to Janes on 11 April. This step is aimed at simplifying the supply of its components to partners.

Tekever announced on 7 April that it would be opening a new office in Ukraine to accelerate the adaptation of its systems to operational needs on the ground. The company said it is also looking to develop partnerships with Ukrainian defence companies for advancing its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven uncrewed technologies.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) already uses one of Tekever's AI-driven unmanned aircraft systems (UASs). The company's AR3 UAS has been in operational use in Ukraine since 2022 and has completed over 10,000 flight hours in live combat environments in Ukraine.

According to Tekever, front-line feedback is shaping “continuous iteration of the platforms and maintaining their operational effectiveness”. The AFU operator feedback also highlighted the technology's “mission adaptability and ease of use under high-stress battlefield conditions”, according to the company representative. The AR3's detection and tracking capabilities allow it to autonomously identify and monitor vehicles or vessels – which may include high-value air-defence systems, according to Tekever.