The Defense Ministry will implement changes to the testing process required for domestically produced weapons, allowing them to reach the front faster, the ministry announced on Nov. 3.
There are currently a number of testing requirements unrelated to the combat ability of weapons produced in Ukraine, such as a six-month minimum climatization test to ensure that a weapons system can remain operational for 10 years.
In times of war, the ministry explained, there is no need for such a lengthy test, especially considering that weapons will likely go straight into combat.
Instead of determining the long-term capabilities of new weapons produced, the ministry and army will focus on three primary factors when assessing weapons from Ukraine's domestic defense industry: "effectiveness of the equipment, its safety for personnel, and (its) reliability in operation."
The Ukrainian domestic defense industry has significantly expanded and modernized since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 12 that Ukraine was prioritizing domestic arms manufacturing, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Oct. 7 that more than 200 Ukrainian companies have begun developing drones, fueling a massive increase in production as well as technical innovation.
In addition, Ukraine has also aimed to increase its domestic production of shells.
The European Union promised to deliver one million rounds of artillery shells by March 2024, but unnamed sources told Bloomberg on Oct. 26 that production was falling short of its goal.
Francis Farrell
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