The UK and Ukraine have launched the LYRA program, a partnership to jointly develop and expand battlefield technologies.
The agreement was signed by UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey and Ukraine’s Minister of Defence Denys Shmyhal during the DFNC3 International Defence Industries Forum in Kyiv.
It aims to combine the countries’ industrial and scientific expertise to enhance their defense capabilities.
A joint working group will oversee projects focused on the modernization and production of key weapons systems.
One of the first initiatives established under LYRA, Project OCTOPUS, involves the co-development of a new air defense interceptor drone.
The project includes plans to mass-produce thousands of interceptor drones each month for Ukraine.
These drones are designed to quickly engage and destroy incoming drones and missiles before they reach their targets, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional air defense systems against large-scale drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
In addition, the two nations signed a project agreement on joint artillery production.
Joint Development Initiatives
The LYRA program follows previous technology-sharing agreements for the joint development and production of advanced military equipment.
In June, Kyiv and London signed a deal to cooperate on defense technologies, including drone production, which was announced during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Downing Street with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Funding is allocated through the UK’s 4.5-billion-pound ($6 billion) military aid package for Ukraine for this year, with a further commitment of 3 billion pounds ($4 billion) annually in future support.
