Ministry of Defence of Ukraine Announces Grant Call for Development of Air-to-Air Guided Missiles and Domestic Radars, Signs First Partner Nation Innovation MOU with NATO DIANA

Ukraine

On October 30, 2026 (local time), the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine announced that, together with the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the defense innovation cluster Brave1, it is launching a grant competition to support companies developing guided air-to-air missiles and Ukrainian-made radars. The next step will be a grant competition for turbojet engine development. Minister of Defence of Ukraine Yevhen Khmara announced the plan in an address to defense companies participating in the Brave1 cluster. Brave1 is Ukraine's defense innovation cluster that, since 2023, has provided non-repayable grants to defense tech developers, assisting with testing, military feedback, establishing partnerships, and military deployment. On the same day, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine announced that Deputy Minister of Defence Serhii Boiev signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) defense innovation accelerator DIANA for cooperation on joint technology development, testing, and deployment. NATO announced that the MOU was concluded on October 29 at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and marks the first agreement signed by DIANA with a NATO partner country.

Minister of Defence Khmara Pointed Out Russia's Four Major Air Threats

Minister Khmara identified four primary air threats currently posed by Russia: ballistic missiles, cheap cruise missiles, high-speed drones, and guided glide bombs. Guided glide bombs are weapons created by outfitting conventional bombs with wings and guidance systems to be dropped from aircraft, which the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine refers to by the Russian acronym "KAB." According to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the goal of the new competition is to supply the Ukrainian security and defense forces with effective means to counter aerial targets, reduce the cost of intercepting jet-propelled drones, and scale up Ukrainian radar production. Minister Khmara also tasked defense companies with finding new solutions to counter KABs and diminish their effectiveness. He stated, "Today, our focus is on countering Russian threats. However, it is essential to create innovative solutions that will allow us to act proactively and win," adding, "We need asymmetric effects. We need technology that changes the rules of the game in our favor." The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine posted news of the call and Minister Khmara's remarks on its official X account.

Russian ballistic missile strikes continued on the same day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X on October 30: "Every day Russian strikes hit our energy infrastructure, causing extensive damage," adding, "Russia launched 17 ballistic missiles last night, some of which struck oil refining infrastructure in Kremenchuk." He stated, "Russia has not taken a single step toward energy de-escalation," and "We will act accordingly and justly."

Ministry of Defence Offers Grants for Air-to-Air Guided Missiles and Radar Development

Air-to-air guided missiles are missiles launched from aircraft or drones to track and strike enemy aerial targets. The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine stated that it expects Ukrainian companies to develop proprietary navigation solutions, strengthen electronic warfare capabilities, build radars capable of detecting low-observable targets that are difficult to track, and deliver affordable systems capable of mass production. Minister Khmara said, "Our requirements are clear: effectiveness, cost competitiveness, interoperability across systems, and sufficient supply volumes," adding, "The collaborative work of the state, the military, and the Ukrainian defense industry must focus on these outcomes." The Ministry of Defence announced that grants serve as a mechanism to support solutions that can scale up production in line with the demands of the Ukrainian security and defense forces. Brave1 is also searching for and testing other technological solutions for the defense forces, and the Ministry of Defence and Brave1 previously conducted large-scale tests of AI-guided drones.

The scale of Brave1's grants was also confirmed through an announcement by the Ministry of Defence. In a notice on September 14, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine stated that Brave1 had provided 6.2 billion hryvnias in support for defense tech development since 2023, with Ukrainian developers receiving more than 1,000 grants. According to the Ministry, Brave1 played a pivotal role in the emergence of entire defense technology sectors, such as interceptor drones, unmanned ground vehicles, short-range electronic warfare systems, and automated turrets. Under standard grant programs, 977 grants totaling 2.3 billion hryvnias were disbursed, including 215 for unmanned aerial systems, 199 for unmanned ground vehicles, and 49 for electronic warfare, signals intelligence, and electronic intelligence systems. Special grants in the "Missiles" and "Artificial Intelligence" fields accounted for 20 cases and 145 million hryvnias. Through competitive grant calls, Brave1 supported 34 projects totaling 3.7 billion hryvnias for the development of cruise and ballistic missiles, surface-to-air missile systems, and autonomous technologies, as well as the expansion of explosives production. In 2026, under the EU-supported "EU4UA Defense Tech" grant program, 11 grants totaling 81 million hryvnias were disbursed for the development of high-speed interceptor drones with speeds of up to 450 km/h and radars. The Ministry of Defence noted that Brave1 grants do not need to be repaid, and recipient companies are not required to surrender equity or intellectual property rights to the state. Grant limits for standard programs are tiered at 500,000, 2 million, 4 million, and 8 million hryvnias, depending on the product's Technology Readiness Level (TRL). TRL is a metric rating the maturity of a technology, from Level 1 at the idea stage to Level 9 ready for mass production. According to a Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) survey cited by the Ministry, products receiving Brave1 grants saw their TRL advance by an average of 1.7 levels, and 79% of responding companies stated that comparable support to Brave1 could not be found elsewhere.

Ukraine and NATO DIANA Sign First Partner Nation Innovation MOU

DIANA, an acronym for the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, is a NATO body that connects promising emerging tech companies with NATO's defense and security expertise and test infrastructure to help turn technology into real operational capabilities. NATO stated that this MOU builds upon the cooperation between the NATO and Ukrainian innovation ecosystems that has developed significantly since Russia's full-scale invasion. NATO stated that this cooperation is based on reciprocity. According to NATO, amid Russia's war of aggression, Ukraine has cultivated an extraordinary innovation ecosystem by rapidly testing, adapting, and refining technology under the harshest conditions, while DIANA offers a proven pathway linking innovators to NATO expertise and infrastructure. The MOU serves as a framework to help Ukrainian innovators familiarize themselves with NATO requirement standards, access testing opportunities, and overcome barriers to scaling promising technologies. NATO noted that DIANA is designed to connect promising companies with real defense and security challenges at a time when Allies must replenish core capabilities while building a stronger, more innovative industrial base. NATO explained that closer cooperation can expand the base of innovative suppliers and technologies contributing to Alliance security and bolster the industrial base underpinning collective defense. Jyoti Hirani-Driver, Acting Managing Director of DIANA, said, "This MOU is the beginning. A door is opening. Now our job is to walk through that door together," adding, "We have an immense amount to learn from Ukraine." NATO posted on its official X account that DIANA and Ukraine are joining forces to co-develop and test technologies.

According to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the conclusion of the MOU will provide additional funding for joint Ukraine-NATO projects. Both sides will establish a comprehensive defense innovation framework that combines the cataloging, testing, and deployment of technological solutions with cooperation among international partners, including NATO. A catalog of innovative defense technologies covering unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare systems, radars, and unmanned ground vehicles will also continue to be built. This catalog will present the technology readiness levels, test results, and operational viability of existing and under-development solutions in a standardized format, serving to prioritize development, procurement, and scaling. The two sides will synchronize technology catalogs between Ukraine and NATO member states and exchange information to identify shared requirements and plan joint calls, testing, and deployment. Cooperation with the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC) will also deepen. JATEC is an organization that analyzes lessons learned from the Ukrainian battlefield and disseminates them to the armed forces of NATO Allies. The Ministry of Defence stated that Ukraine's real-world combat experience and defense force requirements will be integrated into setting technology priorities, running innovation challenges, supporting projects, and testing solutions, including on-the-ground testing in Ukraine. The Ministry announced that this MOU enables Ukrainian developers to gain a deeper understanding of Alliance standards, access new avenues to test their solutions, and remove obstacles to scaling up. The Ministry of Defence also stated that catalog synchronization and joint setting of technology priorities will provide a systematic foundation for situational awareness, long-term planning, and defense tech forecasting.

Ukraine Also Opens Door to Procurement Cooperation with NATO Support and Procurement Agency

Defense industry cooperation between Ukraine and NATO is also broadening into procurement. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) announced on October 22 in Luxembourg that Ukraine had joined the NSPA's Security Cooperation Support Partnership (SCSP). The NSPA is the NATO body that acquires and manages equipment and logistical support on behalf of NATO Allies and partner nations. According to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Minister Khmara signed this partnership agreement on October 14, granting Ukraine the ability to purchase military equipment through the NSPA for the first time. According to the NSPA, the partnership established in 2025 consists of seven participants: Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, NATO Headquarters, and Ukraine. Ukrainian companies can register on the NSPA supplier list to participate in tenders on equal terms with foreign companies. The NSPA stated that, following Allied approval via the North Atlantic Council (NAC) in April 2026, it became possible to issue tender notices and award contracts to Ukrainian companies. Jacqueline Borsboom, Director of Support to Operations at the NSPA, stated, "This Partnership will further connect Ukrainian industry with growth opportunities, while allowing Allies and Partners to learn from Ukraine's combat-proven innovations and operational experience." Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defence Mstyslav Banik remarked, "Ukraine is the first and only country that, without being a NATO member, has had a dedicated partnership established as a single window into NSPA activities." According to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, through this partnership Ukraine can potentially draw upon the capabilities of 45 NSPA partnerships covering procurement, maintenance, and full life-cycle support for various weapon systems. Ukraine's requests can be processed through existing NSPA contracts or new contracts, and can be fulfilled faster via urgent response procurement procedures. The NSPA can bundle Ukraine's requirements with those of other nations to increase bargaining power and secure better pricing. Procurement funding can be drawn from the Ukrainian state budget, international partners, or pooled financial mechanisms. On October 14, the NSPA hosted "Ukrainian Industry Day" in Kyiv, attended by approximately 150 Ukrainian companies. The NSPA stated that this event was the first held by a NATO body since Russia's full-scale invasion.

The NSPA stated that NATO Allies have provided 99% of military aid to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion. The NSPA stated that it mobilized approximately 400 million euros through the Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) Trust Fund for medical supplies, fuel, critical infrastructure, and cybersecurity assistance, while the IT Capability Coalition contributed an additional 219 million euros to modernize Ukraine's digital defense capabilities.

Sources (KST)

• Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, "Brave1, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Digital Transformation launch air-to-air missile and Ukraine's radar grants" (October 30, 2026): https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/brave1-grants-for-air-to-air-missiles-and-ukrainian-radars
• Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, "Ukraine and NATO DIANA sign a memorandum to deepen defense innovation cooperation" (October 30, 2026): https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/ukraine-nato-diana-defense-innovation-memorandum
• NATO, "NATO's DIANA and Ukraine strengthen cooperation on defence innovation" (October 29, 2026): https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/articles/news/2026/10/29/natos-diana-and-ukraine-strengthen-cooperation-on-defence-innovation
• Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, "Brave1 has awarded more than 1,000 grants to Ukrainian defense developers" (September 14, 2026): https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/brave1-has-awarded-more-than-1-000-grants-to-ukrainian-defense-developers
• Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, "Ukraine gains access to military equipment procurement through NATO's NSPA for the first time" (October 22, 2026): https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/ukraine-nato-procurement-via-nspa
• NATO Support and Procurement Agency, "Ukraine joins NATO Support Partnership, unlocking opportunities for Alliance support and cooperation" (October 22, 2026): https://www.nspa.nato.int/news/2026/ukraine-joins-nato-support-partnership--unlocking-opportunities-for-alliance-support-and-cooperation
• Ministry of Defence of Ukraine X Post (October 30, 2026): https://x.com/DefenceU/status/2116214044948369599
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy X Post (October 30, 2026): https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2116244850383429678
• NATO X Post (October 30, 2026): https://x.com/NATO/status/2116111169060520128