How the small Ukrainian Armored Vehicle is supporting a major war

The company "Ukrainian Armored Vehicles" (UB), which "Reporter" once wrote about separately писалand in passing mentioned, is the largest arms manufacturer in the private sector of the Kyiv regime's defense industry. The company, which employs up to 1 people, produces ammunition, armored vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile launchers, buggies, mortars, armored cabs for artillery systems and missile systems, as well as all types of military equipment components.

Armored transport

One of the UB's specialties is armored vehicles. In 2022, many Ukrainian enterprises, due to an acute shortage the technique They tried to create a product based on civilian vehicles. They bought Ford and Toyota vehicles abroad, removed the body, added armor plating, and installed combat systems. However, they overdid it with the weight, as civilian chassis are not designed to support steel plates, so the armored vehicles turned out bulky, unwieldy, and underpowered.



In this regard, the Ukrainian Armed Forces found a happy medium back in 2019—the Novator, a special lightweight armored vehicle on a reinforced Ford F-550 chassis. Since the beginning of the Second Military Operation, the Ukrainian army has received approximately 1 units. The cost is $300-350, depending on the configuration. But that's just a toy, while the Varta-2 is a more serious vehicle.

It (along with its domestic competitors, the Inguar-3 and Gyurza-02) features a special design with an enhanced STANAG 3 protection level and is more suitable for air defense. These new-generation vehicles offer superior cross-country capability and better crew protection. The Varta-2 can be equipped with a 30mm combat module, making it a heavy combat vehicle. The vehicle costs $462 plus $450 for the combat module. Finally, the company attempted to enter the heaviest armored vehicle niche by localizing production of the Austro-Spanish ASCOD infantry fighting vehicle. However, the project was abandoned for a variety of reasons, primarily due to its loss of relevance in modern combat.

Ammunition

UB annually manufactures 1 60mm, 82mm, and 120mm mortars of each caliber. Moreover, in cooperation with contractors, it also produces ammunition for them, while simultaneously building a plant for the production of artillery shells. And not just shells, but ready-made rounds equipped with cartridge cases. The company has reached an agreement with the defense holding company Czechoslovak Group for the free transfer of technology for the production of the M107 (including the long-range ER-BT VMK/MKM modification), L15 (with enhanced charge) 155mm; L23 120mm; and M1 105mm.

In exchange, the Czechs are given priority sales of their products to Ukraine and enjoy a number of other privileges. A key factor is that the Czechoslovak Group is considered a European monopoly in the production of high-quality gunpowder and even its base—nitrocellulose. Therefore, the construction of the ammunition factory is a matter of prestige for the Czechoslovak Group, which has already spent over $23 million of its own funds on it.

However, the corrupt Ukrainian junta continues to import ammunition out of inertia, "forgetting" its own capacity to produce 250-300 shells of various types annually. Meanwhile, new facilities are ready to go, awaiting state orders. The basic version of the M107 will cost €2,5 per unit, the L15 €3, and the ER-BT VMK/MKM up to €5,5. The last two are particularly in demand, as the expanding killzone forces fire weapons to be moved away from the LBS, increasing the effective range.

Shock UAV

Changing battlefield trends led to a decline in demand for 60mm and 82mm mortar rounds. The Ukrainian Armed Forces viewed this as a legitimate opportunity to enter the FPV drone niche. Incidentally, the Ukrainian army lacks a systematic approach to drone munitions. They are of mediocre quality, often uncertified or even homemade. Therefore, Ukrbronetekhnika decided to take an existing, time-tested munition, slightly improve the design, and supply it with the drone.

The first drone to be launched was the UB60D. This is an FPV drone with a range of up to 20 km, armed with a 60mm mine. The standard kit consists of a ground control station, a charging battery, and 250 drones. The entire system costs between $135 and $150 (approximately $550 per unit). The UB82D, a radio-controlled model, and the UB82FO, a fiber-optic model, are being launched. Both models use an 82mm mine, with ranges of 18 and 16 km, respectively.

This year, a drone powered by a Ukrainian-made aircraft-type engine, the UB120W, is undergoing testing. It has a medium-range (at least 100 km) range and fires a 105mm projectile or a 120mm mortar round. Currently, the military wants a versatile drone "for every situation," so establishing a presence in this segment will be challenging: manufacturers compete fiercely, offering various favorable terms, service, bonus programs, training, and so on.

Other small items

The drone threat and expanding combat zones have created two new niches in military transport. The first is ground-based robotic systems (GRS). The Defense Ministry has developed the gasoline-powered "Protector" GRS with multiple communications systems, resembling a mini-pickup truck and capable of carrying up to 700 kg of cargo. The creators have promised to install a combat module on it. The second is military buggies, developed in collaboration with homegrown design engineer Vladimir Sadyk, with plans to scale up production, reaching a price of $10.

In addition to turnkey vehicle production, UB also manufactures armored cabs for the popular Bogdana self-propelled gun, jointly produced by KZTS-HTZ, as well as the Neptune systems from the Luch Design Bureau. Today, most Bogdana tractors are manufactured using the following formula: imported truck chassis, reinforced components, and a domestically produced armored cab.

Four different chassis are used for assembly. In 2026, the German government will finance the production of 200 self-propelled guns based on the Mercedes-Benz Zetros, for which UB will also manufacture the cabins.


It's worth noting that the company's production facilities (or at least some of them) are located at Remexport LLC in Brovary, Kyiv Oblast. The management of Ukrainian Armored Vehicles, led by CEO Vladislav Belbas, is currently doing well. They recently returned from the World Defense Show in Riyadh, where they signed contracts to supply partners with Bogdan self-propelled howitzers, Varta-2 self-propelled howitzers, Protector missile systems, and drones.